6-thio-substituted imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazines as Mps-1 inhibitors

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to substituted imidazopyrazine compounds of general formula (I): (I) in which R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4  and R 5  are as defined in the claims, to methods of and intermediates for preparing said compounds, to pharmaceutical compositions and combinations comprising said compounds and to the use of said compounds for manufacturing a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment or prophylaxis of a disease, in particular of a hyper-proliferative and/or angiogenesis disorder, as a sole agent or in combination with other active ingredients.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a National Stage Entry of PCT/EP2011/072582, filedDec. 13, 2011, which claims priority of EP 10195699.3, filed Dec. 17,2010.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to substituted imidazopyrazine compoundsof general formula (I) as described and defined herein, to methods ofand intermediates for preparing said compounds, to pharmaceuticalcompositions and combinations comprising said compounds, to the use ofsaid compounds for manufacturing a pharmaceutical composition for thetreatment or prophylaxis of a disease, as well as to intermediatecompounds useful in the preparation of said compounds.

The present invention relates to chemical compounds that inhibit Mps-1(Monopolar Spindle 1) kinase (also known as Tyrosine Threonine Kinase,TTK). Mps-1 is a dual specificity Ser/Thr kinase which plays a key rolein the activation of the mitotic checkpoint (also known as spindlecheckpoint, spindle assembly checkpoint) thereby ensuring properchromosome segregation during mitosis [Abrieu A et al., Cell, 2001, 106,83-93]. Every dividing cell has to ensure equal separation of thereplicated chromosomes into the two daughter cells. Upon entry intomitosis, chromosomes are attached at their kinetochores to themicrotubules of the spindle apparatus. The mitotic checkpoint is asurveillance mechanism that is active as long as unattached kinetochoresare present and prevents mitotic cells from entering anaphase andthereby completing cell division with unattached chromosomes[Suijkerbuijk S J and Kops G J, Biochemica et Biophysica Acta, 2008,1786, 24-31; Musacchio A and Salmon E D, Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol., 2007,8, 379-93]. Once all kinetochores are attached in a correct amphitelic,i.e. bipolar, fashion with the mitotic spindle, the checkpoint issatisfied and the cell enters anaphase and proceeds through mitosis. Themitotic checkpoint consists of complex network of a number of essentialproteins, including members of the MAD (mitotic arrest deficient, MAD1-3) and Bub (Budding uninhibited by benzimidazole, Bub 1-3) families,the motor protein CENP-E, Mps-1 kinase as well as other components, manyof these being over-expressed in proliferating cells (e.g. cancer cells)and tissues [Yuan B et al., Clinical Cancer Research, 2006, 12, 405-10].The essential role of Mps-1 kinase activity in mitotic checkpointsignalling has been shown by shRNA-silencing, chemical genetics as wellas chemical inhibitors of Mps-1 kinase [Jelluma N et al., PLos ONE,2008, 3, e2415; Jones M H et al., Current Biology, 2005, 15, 160-65;Dorer R K et al., Current Biology, 2005, 15, 1070-76; Schmidt M et al.,EMBO Reports, 2005, 6, 866-72].

There is ample evidence linking reduced but incomplete mitoticcheckpoint function with aneuploidy and tumourigenesis [Weaver B A andCleveland D W, Cancer Research, 2007, 67, 10103-5; King R W, Biochimicaet Biophysica Acta, 2008, 1786, 4-14]. In contrast, complete inhibitionof the mitotic checkpoint has been recognised to result in severechromosome missegregation and induction of apoptosis in tumour cells[Kops G J et al., Nature Reviews Cancer, 2005, 5, 773-85; Schmidt M andMedenna R H, Cell Cycle, 2006, 5, 159-63; Schmidt M and Bastians H, DrugResistance Updates, 2007, 10, 162-81]. Therefore, mitotic checkpointabrogation through pharmacological inhibition of Mps-1 kinase or othercomponents of the mitotic checkpoint represents a new approach for thetreatment of proliferative disorders including solid tumours such ascarcinomas and sarcomas and leukaemias and lymphoid malignancies orother disorders associated with uncontrolled cellular proliferation.

Established anti-mitotic drugs such as vinca alkaloids, taxanes orepothilones activate the spindle assambly checkpoint (SAC) inducing amitotic arrest either by stabilising or destabilising microtubuledynamics. This arrest prevents separation of sister chromatids to formthe two daughter cells. Prolonged arrest in mitosis forces a cell eitherinto mitotic exit without cytokinesis or into mitotic catastropheleading to cell death.

In contrast, inhibitors of Mps-1 induce a SAC inactivation thataccelerates progression of cells through mitosis resulting in severechromosomal missegregation and finally in cell death.

These findings suggest that Mps-1 inhibitors should be of therapeuticvalue for the treatment of disorders associated with enhanceduncontrolled proliferative cellular processes such as, for example,cancer, inflammation, arthritis, viral diseases, neurodegenerativediseases such as Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular diseases, or fungaldiseases in a warm-blooded animal such as man.

Therefore, inhibitors of Mps-1 represent valuable compounds that shouldcomplement therapeutic options either as single agents or in combinationwith other drugs.

It is known from prior art that different compound classes show aninhibitory effect on Mps-1 kinase. For example, WO2010/124826A1discloses substituted imidazoquinoxaline compounds as inhibitors ofMps-1 kinase; WO2011/026579A1 discloses substituted aminoquinoxalines asMps-1 inhibitors. WO2011/063908A1, WO2011/064328A1 as well asWO2011063907A1 disclose triazolopyridine derivates as inhibitors ofMps-1 kinase.

Imidazopyrazine derivates have been disclosed for the treatment orprophylaxis of different diseases:

US patent application publication US 2005/0009832 (Sugen, Inc.) relatesto the use of 8-amino-aryl-substituted imidazopyrazines as kinaseinhibitors. It relates to imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazines.

WO 2007/058942 A2 (Schering Corporation) relates to imidazopyrazines asinhibitors of protein and/or checkpoint kinases. In particular, itrelates to imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazines.

WO 2004/026877 A1 (Schering Corporation) relates to imidazopyrazines ascyclin dependent kinase inhibitors. In particular, it relates toimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazines.

WO 2007/145921 A1 (Schering Corporation) relates to imidazopyrazines asprotein kinase inhibitors. In particular, it relates toimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazines which are substituted, inter alia, in the2-position.

WO 2008/057512 A2 (Schering Corporation) relates to imidazopyrazines asprotein kinase inhibitors. In particular, it relates toimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazines which are substituted, inter alia, in the6-position via a sulphur atom.

WO 2009/024585 A2 (Biofocus DPI Limited) relates to imidazopyrazineswhich may be used for the prevention and treatment of a viral infection,in particular a HCV, HRV, Sb and/or CVB. In particular, it relates toimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazines.

WO 2011/013729A1 discloses fused imidazole derivatives as Mps-1inhibitors. Among the disclosed fused imidazole derivates there are alsoimidazopyrazine derivates. For example, WO 2011/013729A1 disclosescompounds of formula C1:

-   -   in which (X, Y, V, W) is (—N═, ═CR¹—, ═N—, —CR⁷═), (—CR²═, ═N—,        ═N—, —CR⁷═), (—N═, ═CR¹—, ═N—, —N═) or (—N═, ═CR¹—, —O—, —N═);    -   R⁸ is substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl;    -   Z is a group represented by formula —NR³R⁴ or a group        represented by formula —OR⁵;    -   A is substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon ring,        substituted or unsubstituted aromatic heterocyclic ring,        substituted or unsubstituted non-aromatic hydrocarbon ring or        substituted or unsubstituted non-aromatic heterocyclic ring;    -   R¹, R³, R⁴, R⁵, and R⁶ represent a large variety of substituents        (see WO 2011/013729A1, e.g. claim 1).

However, the state of the art described above does not describe thespecifically substituted imidazopyrazine compounds of general formula(I) of the present invention, or a stereoisomer, a tautomer, an N-oxide,a hydrate, a solvate, or a salt thereof, or a mixture of same, asdescribed and defined herein, and as hereinafter referred to as“compounds of the present invention”, or their pharmacological activity.It has now been found, and this constitutes the basis of the presentinvention, that said compounds of the present invention have surprisingand advantageous properties.

In particular, said compounds of the present invention have surprisinglybeen found to effectively inhibit Mps-1 kinase and may therefore be usedfor the treatment or prophylaxis of diseases of uncontrolled cellgrowth, hyperproliferation, an inappropriate cellular immune response,or an inappropriate cellular inflammatory response, particularly inwhich the uncontrolled cell growth, hyperproliferation, inappropriatecellular immune response, or inappropriate cellular inflammatoryresponse is mediated directly or indirectly by the monopolar spindle 1kinase (Mps-1), such as, for example, haemotological tumours, solidtumours, and/or metastases thereof, e.g. leukaemias and myelodysplasticsyndrome, malignant lymphomas, head and neck tumours including braintumours and brain metastases, tumours of the thorax including non-smallcell and small cell lung tumours, gastrointestinal tumours, endocrinetumours, mammary and other gynaecological tumours, urological tumoursincluding renal, bladder and prostate tumours, skin tumours, andsarcomas, and/or metastases thereof.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention covers compounds of general formula (I):

in which:

-   R¹ represents a *CH₂—Z moiety, * indicating the point of attachment    with the rest of the molecule,    -   wherein Z is a hydrogen atom, or a C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        —(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl, aryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        heteroaryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        R′(R″)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, H₂N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        —C₁-C₆-alkyl-CN, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl-, a 3- to        7-membered heterocycloalkyl, aryl- or heteroaryl-group;    -   said C₁-C₆-alkyl-, —(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl,        aryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, heteroaryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        R′(R″)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, H₂N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        —C₁-C₆-alkyl-CN, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl-, a 3- to        7-membered heterocycloalkyl, aryl- or heteroaryl-group, is        optionally substituted, identically or differently, with 1, 2,        3, or 4 R′ groups;-   R² represents a

-   -   in which * indicates the point of attachment with the rest of        the molecule, and in which:    -   R^(6a), R^(6b), R^(6c), R^(6d)        -   represent, independently from each other, a hydrogen or            halogen atom, or a —CN, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-,            halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, R(R′)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-,            C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,            —C(═O)R, —C(═O)N(H)R, —C(═O)N(R)R′, —C(═O)OR, —N(R)R′, —NO₂,            —N(H)C(═O)R, —N(R)C(═O)R′, —N(H)C(═O)N(R)R′,            —N(R)C(═O)N(R′)R″, —N(H)C(═O)OR, —N(R)C(═O)OR′,            —N(H)S(═O)R′, —N(R)S(═O)R′, —N(H)S(═O)₂R, —N(R)S(═O)₂R′,            —N═S(═O)(R)R′, —OR, —O(C═O)R, —O(C═O)N(R)R′, —O(C═O)OR,            —S(═O)₂N(H)R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′— group; and    -   R^(6e) represents a cyclopropyl-group being optionally        substituted, identically or differently, with 1, 2, 3, or 4        groups selected from:        -   hydrogen, halogen, —OH, —CN, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, —C₁-C₆-alkoxy,            halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-;

-   R³ represents a C₁-C₆-alkyl-S—, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₂-C₆-alkenyl,    —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₄-C₈-cycloalkenyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl,    —S—(CH₂)_(m)(3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl), —S—(CH₂)_(m)-(4- to    8-membered heterocycloalkenyl), —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R,    —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group;    -   said C₁-C₆-alkyl-S—, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₂-C₆-alkenyl,        —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₄-C₈-cycloalkenyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl,        —S—(CH₂)_(m)-(3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl),        —S—(CH₂)_(m)(4- to 8-membered heterocycloalkenyl), —SR, —S(═O)R,        —S(═O)₂R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group    -   being optionally substituted, identically or differently, with        1, 2, 3, or 4 R⁸ groups;

-   R⁴ represents a hydrogen atom;

-   R⁵ represents a hydrogen atom;

-   R⁷ represents a hydrogen or halogen atom, or a —CN, HO—,    C₁-C₆-alkoxy-, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,    halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-R(R′)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl,    HO—C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,    halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, 3- to 7-membered    heterocycloalkyl, aryl-, heteroaryl-, —C(═O)R, —C(═O)N(H)R,    —C(═O)N(R)R′, —C(═O)OR, —N(R)R′, —NO₂, —N(H)C(═O)R, —N(R)C(═O)R′,    —N(H)C(═O)N(R)R′, —N(R)C(═O)N(R′)R″, —N(H)C(═O)OR, —N(R)C(═O)OR′,    —N(H)S(═O)R, —N(R)S(═O)R′, —N(H)S(═O)₂R, —N(R)S(═O)₂R′,    —N═S(═O)(R)R′, —OR, —O(C═O)R, —O(C═O)OR, —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R,    —S(═O)₂N(H)R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group;

-   R⁸ represents a hydrogen or halogen atom, or a —CN, HO—,    C₁-C₆-alkoxy-, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,    halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-R(R′)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl,    HO—C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,    halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, 3- to 7-membered    heterocycloalkyl, aryl-, heteroaryl-, —C(═O)R, —C(═O)N(H)R,    —C(═O)N(R)R′, —C(═O)OR, —N(R)R′, —NO₂, —N(H)C(═O)R, —N(R)C(═O)R′,    —N(H)C(═O)N(R)R′, —N(R)C(═O)N(R′)R″, —N(H)C(═O)OR, —N(R)C(═O)OR′,    —N(H)S(═O)R, —N(R)S(═O)R′, —N(H)S(═O)₂R, —N(R)S(═O)₂R′,    —N═S(═O)(R)R′, —OR, —O(C═O)R, —O(C═O)OR, —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R,    —S(═O)₂N(H)R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group;

-   R, R′ and R″ are, independently from each other, a hydrogen atom or    a C₁-C₆-alkyl-group;

-   m is an integer of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6;    or a stereoisomer, a tautomer, an N-oxide, a hydrate, a solvate, or    a salt thereof, or a mixture of same.

The present invention further relates to methods of and intermediatesfor preparing substituted imidazopyrazine compounds of general formula(I), to pharmaceutical compositions and combinations comprising saidcompounds, to the use of said compounds for manufacturing apharmaceutical composition for the treatment or prophylaxis of adisease, as well as to intermediate compounds useful in the preparationof said compounds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[Not Applicable]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The terms as mentioned in the present text have preferably the followingmeanings:

The term “halogen atom” or “halo-” is to be understood as meaning afluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine atom, preferably a fluorine,chlorine, bromine or iodine atom.

The term “C₁-C₆-alkyl” is to be understood as preferably meaning alinear or branched, saturated, monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1, 2,3, 4, 5, or 6 carbon atoms, e.g. a methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl,hexyl, iso-propyl, iso-butyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, iso-pentyl,2-methylbutyl, 1-methylbutyl, 1-ethylpropyl, 1,2-dimethylpropyl,neo-pentyl, 1,1-dimethylpropyl, 4-methylpentyl, 3-methylpentyl,2-methylpentyl, 1-methylpentyl, 2-ethylbutyl, 1-ethylbutyl,3,3-dimethylbutyl, 2,2-dimethylbutyl, 1,1-dimethylbutyl,2,3-dimethylbutyl, 1,3-dimethylbutyl, or 1,2-dimethylbutyl group, or anisomer thereof. Particularly, said group has 1, 2, 3 or 4 carbon atoms(“C₁-C₄-alkyl”), e.g. a methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, iso-propyl,iso-butyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl group, more particularly 1, 2 or 3carbon atoms (“C₁-C₃-alkyl”), e.g. a methyl, ethyl, n-propyl- oriso-propyl group.

The term “halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl” is to be understood as preferably meaning alinear or branched, saturated, monovalent hydrocarbon group in which theterm “C₁-C₆-alkyl” is defined supra, and in which one or more hydrogenatoms is replaced by a halogen atom, in identically or differently, i.e.one halogen atom being independent from another. Particularly, saidhalogen atom is F. Said halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl group is, for example, —CF₃,—CHF₂, —CH₂F, —CF₂CF₃, or —CH₂CF₃.

The term “C₁-C₆-alkoxy” is to be understood as preferably meaning alinear or branched, saturated, monovalent, hydrocarbon group of formula—O—(C₁-C₆-alkyl), in which the term “C₁-C₆-alkyl” is defined supra, e.g.a methoxy, ethoxy, n-propoxy, iso-propoxy, n-butoxy, iso-butoxy,tert-butoxy, sec-butoxy, pentoxy, iso-pentoxy, or n-hexoxy group, or anisomer thereof.

The term “halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy” is to be understood as preferably meaning alinear or branched, saturated, monovalent C₁-C₆-alkoxy group, as definedsupra, in which one or more of the hydrogen atoms is replaced, inidentically or differently, by a halogen atom. Particularly, saidhalogen atom is F. Said halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy group is, for example, —OCF₃,—OCHF₂, —OCH₂F, —OCF₂CF₃, or —OCH₂CF₃.

The term “C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl” is to be understood as preferablymeaning a linear or branched, saturated, monovalent C₁-C₆-alkyl group,as defined supra, in which one or more of the hydrogen atoms isreplaced, in identically or differently, by a C₁-C₆-alkoxy group, asdefined supra, e.g. methoxyalkyl, ethoxyalkyl, propyloxyalkyl,iso-propoxyalkyl, butoxyalkyl, iso-butoxyalkyl, tert-butoxyalkyl,sec-butoxyalkyl, pentyloxyalkyl, iso-pentyloxyalkyl, hexyloxyalkylgroup, or an isomer thereof.

The term “halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl” is to be understood aspreferably meaning a linear or branched, saturated, monovalentC₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl group, as defined supra, in which one or moreof the hydrogen atoms is replaced, in identically or differently, by ahalogen atom. Particularly, said halogen atom is F. Saidhalo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl group is, for example, —CH₂CH₂OCF₃,—CH₂CH₂OCHF₂, —CH₂CH₂OCH₂F, —CH₂CH₂OCF₂CF₃, or —CH₂CH₂OCH₂CF₃.

The term “C₂-C₆-alkenyl” is to be understood as preferably meaning alinear or branched, monovalent hydrocarbon group, which contains one ormore double bonds, and which has 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 carbon atoms,particularly 2 or 3 carbon atoms (“C₂-C₃-alkenyl”), it being understoodthat in the case in which said alkenyl group contains more than onedouble bond, then said double bonds may be isolated from, or conjugatedwith, each other. Said alkenyl group is, for example, a vinyl, allyl,(E)-2-methylvinyl, (Z)-2-methylvinyl, homoallyl, (E)-but-2-enyl,(Z)-but-2-enyl, (E)-but-1-enyl, (Z)-but-1-enyl, pent-4-enyl,(E)-pent-3-enyl, (Z)-pent-3-enyl, (E)-pent-2-enyl, (Z)-pent-2-enyl,(E)-pent-1-enyl, (Z)-pent-1-enyl, hex-5-enyl, (E)-hex-4-enyl,(Z)-hex-4-enyl, (E)-hex-3-enyl, (Z)-hex-3-enyl, (E)-hex-2-enyl,(Z)-hex-2-enyl, (E)-hex-1-enyl, (Z)-hex-1-enyl, isopropenyl,2-methylprop-2-enyl, 1-methylprop-2-enyl, 2-methylprop-1-enyl,(E)-1-methylprop-1-enyl, (Z)-1-methylprop-1-enyl, 3-methylbut-3-enyl,2-methylbut-3-enyl, 1-methylbut-3-enyl, 3-methylbut-2-enyl,(E)-2-methylbut-2-enyl, (Z)-2-methylbut-2-enyl, (E)-1-methylbut-2-enyl,(Z)-1-methylbut-2-enyl, (E)-3-methylbut-1-enyl, (Z)-3-methylbut-1-enyl,(E)-2-methylbut-1-enyl, (Z)-2-methylbut-1-enyl, (E)-1-methylbut-1-enyl,(Z)-1-methylbut-1-enyl, 1,1-dimethylprop-2-enyl, 1-ethylprop-1-enyl,1-propylvinyl, 1-isopropylvinyl, 4-methylpent-4-enyl,3-methylpent-4-enyl, 2-methylpent-4-enyl, 1-methylpent-4-enyl,4-methylpent-3-enyl, (E)-3-methylpent-3-enyl, (Z)-3-methylpent-3-enyl,(E)-2-methylpent-3-enyl, (Z)-2-methylpent-3-enyl,(E)-1-methylpent-3-enyl, (Z)-1-methylpent-3-enyl,(E)-4-methylpent-2-enyl, (Z)-4-methylpent-2-enyl,(E)-3-methylpent-2-enyl, (Z)-3-methylpent-2-enyl,(E)-2-methylpent-2-enyl, (Z)-2-methylpent-2-enyl,(E)-1-methylpent-2-enyl, (Z)-1-methylpent-2-enyl,(E)-4-methylpent-1-enyl, (Z)-4-methylpent-1-enyl,(E)-3-methylpent-1-enyl, (Z)-3-methylpent-1-enyl,(E)-2-methylpent-1-enyl, (Z)-2-methylpent-1-enyl,(E)-1-methylpent-1-enyl, (Z)-1-methylpent-1-enyl, 3-ethylbut-3-enyl,2-ethylbut-3-enyl, 1-ethylbut-3-enyl, (E)-3-ethylbut-2-enyl,(Z)-3-ethylbut-2-enyl, (E)-2-ethylbut-2-enyl, (Z)-2-ethylbut-2-enyl,(E)-1-ethylbut-2-enyl, (Z)-1-ethylbut-2-enyl, (E)-3-ethylbut-1-enyl,(Z)-3-ethylbut-1-enyl, 2-ethylbut-1-enyl, (E)-1-ethylbut-1-enyl,(Z)-1-ethylbut-1-enyl, 2-propylprop-2-enyl, 1-propylprop-2-enyl,2-isopropylprop-2-enyl, 1-isopropylprop-2-enyl, (E)-2-propylprop-1-enyl,(Z)-2-propylprop-1-enyl, (E)-1-propylprop-1-enyl,(Z)-1-propylprop-1-enyl, (E)-2-isopropylprop-1-enyl,(Z)-2-isopropylprop-1-enyl, (E)-1-isopropylprop-1-enyl,(Z)-1-isopropylprop-1-enyl, (E)-3,3-dimethylprop-1-enyl,(Z)-3,3-dimethylprop-1-enyl, 1-(1,1-dimethylethyl)ethenyl,buta-1,3-dienyl, penta-1,4-dienyl, hexa-1,5-dienyl, or methylhexadienylgroup. Particularly, said group is vinyl or allyl.

The term “C₂-C₆-alkynyl” is to be understood as preferably meaning alinear or branched, monovalent hydrocarbon group which contains one ormore triple bonds, and which contains 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 carbon atoms,particularly 2 or 3 carbon atoms (“C₂-C₃-alkynyl”). Said C₂-C₆-alkynylgroup is, for example, ethynyl, prop-1-ynyl, prop-2-ynyl, but-1-ynyl,but-2-ynyl, but-3-ynyl, pent-1-ynyl, pent-2-ynyl, pent-3-ynyl,pent-4-ynyl, hex-1-ynyl, hex-2-inyl, hex-3-inyl, hex-4-ynyl, hex-5-ynyl,1-methylprop-2-ynyl, 2-methylbut-3-ynyl, 1-methylbut-3-ynyl,1-methylbut-2-ynyl, 3-methylbut-1-ynyl, 1-ethylprop-2-ynyl,3-methylpent-4-ynyl, 2-methylpent-4-ynyl, 1-methylpent-4-ynyl,2-methylpent-3-ynyl, 1-methylpent-3-ynyl, 4-methylpent-2-ynyl,1-methylpent-2-ynyl, 4-methylpent-1-ynyl, 3-methylpent-1-ynyl,2-ethylbut-3-ynyl, 1-ethylbut-3-ynyl, 1-ethylbut-2-ynyl,1-propylprop-2-ynyl, 1-isopropylprop-2-ynyl, 2,2-dimethylbut-3-inyl,1,1-dimethylbut-3-ynyl, 1,1-dimethylbut-2-ynyl, or3,3-dimethylbut-1-ynyl group. Particularly, said alkynyl group isethynyl, prop-1-ynyl, or prop-2-inyl.

The term “C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl” is to be understood as meaning a saturated,monovalent, mono-, or bicyclic hydrocarbon ring which contains 3, 4, 5or 6 carbon atoms (“C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl”). Said C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl group isfor example, a monocyclic hydrocarbon ring, e.g. a cyclopropyl,cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, or cyclohexyl or a bicyclic hydrocarbon ring.

The term “C₄-C₈-cycloalkenyl” is to be understood as preferably meaninga monovalent, mono-, or bicyclic hydrocarbon ring which contains 4, 5,6, 7 or 8 carbon atoms and one, two, three or four double bonds, inconjugation or not, as the size of said cycloalkenyl ring allows. SaidC₄-C₃-cycloalkenyl group is for example, a monocyclic hydrocarbon ring,e.g. a cyclobutenyl, cyclopentenyl, or cyclohexenyl or a bicyclichydrocarbon ring, e.g. a cylooctadienyl ring.

The term “3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl”, is to be understood asmeaning a saturated, monovalent, mono- or bicyclic hydrocarbon ringwhich contains 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 carbon atoms, and one or moreheteroatom-containing groups selected from C(═O), O, S, S(═O), S(═O)₂,NR^(a), in which R^(a) represents a hydrogen atom, or a C₁-C₆-alkyl- orhalo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-group; it being possible for said heterocycloalkylgroup to be attached to the rest of the molecule via any one of thecarbon atoms or, if present, the nitrogen atom.

Particularly, said 3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl can contain 2, 3,4, or 5 carbon atoms, and one or more of the above-mentionedheteroatom-containing groups (a “3- to 6-membered heterocycloalkyl”),more particularly said heterocycloalkyl can contain 4 or 5 carbon atoms,and one or more of the above-mentioned heteroatom-containing groups (a“5- to 6-membered heterocycloalkyl”).

Particularly, without being limited thereto, said heterocycloalkyl canbe a 4-membered ring, such as an azetidinyl, oxetanyl, or a 5-memberedring, such as tetrahydrofuranyl, dioxolinyl, pyrrolidinyl,imidazolidinyl, pyrazolidinyl, pyrrolinyl, oxopyrrolidinyl,2-oxoimidazolidin-1-yl, or a 6-membered ring, such as tetrahydropyranyl,piperidinyl, morpholinyl, dithianyl, thiomorpholinyl, piperazinyl,1,1-dioxido-1,2-thiazinan-2-yl, or trithianyl, or a 7-membered ring,such as a diazepanyl ring, for example. Optionally, saidheterocycloalkyl can be benzo fused.

Said heterocyclyl can be bicyclic, such as, without being limitedthereto, a 5,5-membered ring, e.g. ahexahydrocyclopenta[c]pyrrol-2(1H)-yl) ring, or a 5,6-membered bicyclicring, e.g. a hexahydropyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazin-2(1H)-yl ring, or forexample.

As mentioned supra, said nitrogen atom-containing ring can be partiallyunsaturated, i.e. it can contain one or more double bonds, such as,without being limited thereto, a 2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrolyl,4H-[1,3,4]thiadiazinyl, 4,5-dihydrooxazolyl, or 4H-[1,4]thiazinyl ring,for example, or, it may be benzo-fused, such as, without being limitedthereto, a dihydroisoquinolinyl ring, for example.

The term “4- to 8-membered heterocycloalkenyl”, is to be understood asmeaning an unsaturated, monovalent, mono- or bicyclic hydrocarbon ringwhich contains 4, 5, 6, or 7 carbon atoms, and one or moreheteroatom-containing groups selected from C(═O), O, S, S(═O), S(═O)₂,NR^(a), in which R^(a) represents a hydrogen atom, or a C₁-C₆-alkyl- orhalo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-group; it being possible for said heterocycloalkenylgroup to be attached to the rest of the molecule via any one of thecarbon atoms or, if present, the nitrogen atom. Examples of saidheterocycloalkenyl may contain one or more double bonds, e.g.4H-pyranyl, 2H-pyranyl, 3H-diazirinyl, 2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrolyl,[1,3]dioxolyl, 4H-[1,3,4]thiadiazinyl, 2,5-dihydrofuranyl,2,3-dihydrofuranyl, 2,5-dihydrothiophenyl, 2,3-dihydrothiophenyl,4,5-dihydrooxazolyl, or 4H-[1,4]thiazinyl group, tetrahydropyridinyl,dihydrothiopyranyl, 1-oxido-3,6-dihydro-2H-thiopyran-4-yl,dihydropyranyl, or, it may be benzo fused.

The term “aryl” is to be understood as preferably meaning a monovalent,aromatic or partially aromatic, mono-, or bi- or tricyclic hydrocarbonring having 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 or 14 carbon atoms (a“C₆-C₁₄-aryl” group), particularly a ring having 6 carbon atoms (a“C₆-aryl” group), e.g. a phenyl group; or a biphenyl group, or a ringhaving 9 carbon atoms (a “C₉-aryl” group), e.g. an indanyl or indenylgroup, or a ring having 10 carbon atoms (a “C₁₋₁₀-aryl” group), e.g. atetralinyl, dihydronaphthyl, or naphthyl group, or a ring having 13carbon atoms, (a “C₁₋₃-aryl” group), e.g. a fluorenyl group, or a ringhaving 14 carbon atoms, (a “C₁₋₄-aryl” group), e.g. an anthranyl group.

The term “heteroaryl” is understood as preferably meaning a monovalent,monocyclic-, bicyclic- or tricyclic aromatic ring system having 5, 6, 7,8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 or 14 ring atoms (a “5- to 14-membered heteroaryl”group), particularly 5 or 6 or 9 or 10 atoms, and which contains atleast one heteroatom which may be identical or different, saidheteroatom being such as oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur, and in addition ineach case can be benzocondensed. Particularly, heteroaryl is selectedfrom thienyl, furanyl, pyrrolyl, oxazolyl, thiazolyl, imidazolyl,pyrazolyl, isoxazolyl, isothiazolyl, oxadiazolyl, triazolyl,thiadiazolyl, thia-4H-pyrazolyl etc., and benzo derivatives thereof,such as, for example, benzofuranyl, benzothienyl, benzoxazolyl,benzisoxazolyl, benzimidazolyl, benzotriazolyl, indazolyl, indolyl,isoindolyl, etc.; or pyridyl, pyridazinyl, pyrimidinyl, pyrazinyl,triazinyl, etc., and benzo derivatives thereof, such as, for example,quinolinyl, quinazolinyl, isoquinolinyl, etc.; or azocinyl, indolizinyl,purinyl, etc., and benzo derivatives thereof; or cinnolinyl,phthalazinyl, quinazolinyl, quinoxalinyl, naphthpyridinyl, pteridinyl,carbazolyl, acridinyl, phenazinyl, phenothiazinyl, phenoxazinyl,xanthenyl, or oxepinyl, etc.

In general, and unless otherwise mentioned, the heteroarylic orheteroarylenic radicals include all the possible isomeric forms thereof,e.g. the positional isomers thereof. Thus, for some illustrativenon-restricting example, the term pyridinyl or pyridinylene includespyridin-2-yl, pyridin-2-ylene, pyridin-3-yl, pyridin-3-ylene,pyridin-4-yl and pyridin-4-ylene; or the term thienyl or thienyleneincludes thien-2-yl, thien-2-ylene, thien-3-yl and thien-3-ylene.

The term “C₁-C₆”, as used throughout this text, e.g. in the context ofthe definition of “C₁-C₆-alkyl”, “C₁-C₆-haloalkyl”, “C₁-C₆-alkoxy”, or“C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy” is to be understood as meaning an alkyl group havinga finite number of carbon atoms of 1 to 6, i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6carbon atoms. It is to be understood further that said term “C₁-C₆” isto be interpreted as any sub-range comprised therein, e.g. C₁-C₆, C₂-C₅,C₃-C₄, C₁-C₂, C₁-C₃, C₁-C₄, C₁-C₅, C₁-C₆; particularly C₁-C₂, C₁-C₃,C₁-C₄, C₁-C₅, C₁-C₆; more particularly C₁-C₄; in the case of“C₁-C₆-haloalkyl” or “C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy” even more particularly C₁-C₂.

Similarly, as used herein, the term “C₂-C₆”, as used throughout thistext, e.g. in the context of the definitions of “C₂-C₆-alkenyl” and“C₂-C₆-alkynyl”, is to be understood as meaning an alkenyl group or analkynyl group having a finite number of carbon atoms of 2 to 6, i.e. 2,3, 4, 5, or 6 carbon atoms. It is to be understood further that saidterm “C₂-C₆” is to be interpreted as any sub-range comprised therein,e.g. C₂-C₆, C₃-C₅, C₃-C₄, C₂-C₃, C₂-C₄, C₂-C₅; particularly C₂-C₃.

Further, as used herein, the term “C₃-C₆”, as used throughout this text,e.g. in the context of the definition of “C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl”, is to beunderstood as meaning a cycloalkyl group having a finite number ofcarbon atoms of 3 to 6, i.e. 3, 4, 5 or 6 carbon atoms. It is to beunderstood further that said term “C₃-C₆” is to be interpreted as anysub-range comprised therein, e.g. C₃-C₆, C₄-C₅, C₃-C₅, C₃-C₄, C₄-C₆,C₅-C₆; particularly C₃-C₆.

Further, as used herein, the term “C₄-C₈”, as used throughout this text,e.g. in the context of the definition of “C₄-C₈-cycloalkenyl”, is to beunderstood as meaning a cycloalkenyl group having a finite number ofcarbon atoms of 4 to 8, i.e. 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 carbon atoms. It is to beunderstood further that said term “C₄-C₈” is to be interpreted as anysub-range comprised therein, e.g. C₄-C₈, C₄-C₇, C₄-C₆, C₄-C₅, C₅-C₈,C₅-C₇, C₅-C₆, C₆-C₈, C₆-C₇; particularly C₄-C₆.

As used herein, the term “leaving group” refers to an atom or a group ofatoms that is displaced in a chemical reaction as stable species takingwith it the bonding electrons. Preferably, a leaving group is selectedfrom the group comprising: halo, in particular chloro, bromo or iodo,methanesulfonyloxy, p-toluenesulfonyloxy, trifluoromethanesulfonyloxy,nonafluorobutanesulfonyloxy, (4-bromo-benzene)sulfonyloxy,(4-nitro-benzene)sulfonyloxy, (2-nitro-benzene)-sulfonyloxy,(4-isopropyl-benzene)sulfonyloxy,(2,4,6-tri-isopropyl-benzene)-sulfonyloxy,(2,4,6-trimethyl-benzene)sulfonyloxy, (4-tertbutyl-benzene)sulfonyloxy,benzenesulfonyloxy, and (4-methoxy-benzene)sulfonyloxy.

The term “substituted” means that one or more hydrogens on thedesignated atom is replaced with a selection from the indicated group,provided that the designated atom's normal valency under the existingcircumstances is not exceeded, and that the substitution results in astable compound. Combinations of substituents and/or variables arepermissible only if such combinations result in stable compounds.

The term “optionally substituted” means optional substitution with thespecified groups, radicals or moieties.

Ring system substituent means a substituent attached to an aromatic ornonaromatic ring system which, for example, replaces an availablehydrogen on the ring system.

As used herein, the term “one or more times”, e.g. in the definition ofthe substituents of the compounds of the general formulae of the presentinvention, is understood as meaning “one, two, three, four or fivetimes, particularly one, two, three or four times, more particularlyone, two or three times, even more particularly one or two times”.

Where the plural form of the word compounds, salts, polymorphs,hydrates, solvates and the like, is used herein, this is taken to meanalso a single compound, salt, polymorph, isomer, hydrate, solvate or thelike.

By “stable compound” or “stable structure” is meant a compound that issufficiently robust to survive isolation to a useful degree of purityfrom a reaction mixture, and formulation into an efficacious therapeuticagent.

The compounds of this invention may contain one or more asymmetriccentre, depending upon the location and nature of the varioussubstituents desired. Asymmetric carbon atoms may be present in the (R)or (S) configuration, resulting in racemic mixtures in the case of asingle asymmetric centre, and diastereomeric mixtures in the case ofmultiple asymmetric centres. In certain instances, asymmetry may also bepresent due to restricted rotation about a given bond, for example, thecentral bond adjoining two substituted aromatic rings of the specifiedcompounds.

Substituents on a ring may also be present in either cis or trans form.It is intended that all such configurations (including enantiomers anddiastereomers), are included within the scope of the present invention.

Preferred compounds are those which produce the more desirablebiological activity. Separated, pure or partially purified isomers andstereoisomers or racemic or diastereomeric mixtures of the compounds ofthis invention are also included within the scope of the presentinvention. The purification and the separation of such materials can beaccomplished by standard techniques known in the art.

The optical isomers can be obtained by resolution of the racemicmixtures according to conventional processes, for example, by theformation of diastereoisomeric salts using an optically active acid orbase or formation of covalent diastereomers. Examples of appropriateacids are tartaric, diacetyltartaric, ditoluoyltartaric andcamphorsulfonic acid. Mixtures of diastereoisomers can be separated intotheir individual diastereomers on the basis of their physical and/orchemical differences by methods known in the art, for example, bychromatography or fractional crystallisation. The optically active basesor acids are then liberated from the separated diastereomeric salts. Adifferent process for separation of optical isomers involves the use ofchiral chromatography (e.g., chiral HPLC columns), with or withoutconventional derivatisation, optimally chosen to maximise the separationof the enantiomers. Suitable chiral HPLC columns are manufactured byDiacel, e.g., Chiracel O D and Chiracel O J among many others, allroutinely selectable. Enzymatic separations, with or withoutderivatisation, are also useful. The optically active compounds of thisinvention can likewise be obtained by chiral syntheses utilizingoptically active starting materials.

In order to limit different types of isomers from each other referenceis made to IUPAC Rules Section E (Pure Appl Chem 45, 11-30, 1976).

The present invention includes all possible stereoisomers of thecompounds of the present invention as single stereoisomers, or as anymixture of said stereoisomers, in any ratio. Isolation of a singlestereoisomer, e.g. a single enantiomer or a single diastereomer, of acompound of the present invention may be achieved by any suitable stateof the art method, such as chromatography, especially chiralchromatography, for example.

Further, the compounds of the present invention may exist as tautomers.For example, any compound of the present invention which contains apyrazole moiety as a heteroaryl group for example can exist as a 1Htautomer, or a 2H tautomer, or even a mixture in any amount of the twotautomers, or a triazole moiety for example can exist as a 1H tautomer,a 2H tautomer, or a 4H tautomer, or even a mixture in any amount of said1H, 2H and 4H tautomers, namely:

The present invention includes all possible tautomers of the compoundsof the present invention as single tautomers, or as any mixture of saidtautomers, in any ratio.

Further, the compounds of the present invention can exist as N-oxides,which are defined in that at least one nitrogen of the compounds of thepresent invention is oxidised. The present invention includes all suchpossible N-oxides.

The present invention also relates to useful forms of the compounds asdisclosed herein, such as metabolites, hydrates, solvates, prodrugs,salts, in particular pharmaceutically acceptable salts, andco-precipitates.

The compounds of the present invention can exist as a hydrate, or as asolvate, wherein the compounds of the present invention contain polarsolvents, in particular water, methanol or ethanol for example asstructural element of the crystal lattice of the compounds. The amountof polar solvents, in particular water, may exist in a stoichiometric ornon-stoichiometric ratio. In the case of stoichiometric solvates, e.g. ahydrate, hemi-, (semi-), mono-, sesqui-, di-, tri-, tetra-, penta- etc.solvates or hydrates, respectively, are possible. The present inventionincludes all such hydrates or solvates.

Further, the compounds of the present invention can exist in free form,e.g. as a free base, or as a free acid, or as a zwitterion, or can existin the form of a salt. Said salt may be any salt, either an organic orinorganic addition salt, particularly any pharmaceutically acceptableorganic or inorganic addition salt, customarily used in pharmacy.

The term “pharmaceutically acceptable salt” refers to a relativelynon-toxic, inorganic or organic acid addition salt of a compound of thepresent invention. For example, see S. M. Berge, et al. “PharmaceuticalSalts,” J. Pharm. Sci. 1977, 66, 1-19.

A suitable pharmaceutically acceptable salt of the compounds of thepresent invention may be, for example, an acid-addition salt of acompound of the present invention bearing a nitrogen atom, in a chain orin a ring, for example, which is sufficiently basic, such as anacid-addition salt with an inorganic acid, such as hydrochloric,hydrobromic, hydroiodic, sulfuric, bisulfuric, phosphoric, or nitricacid, for example, or with an organic acid, such as formic, acetic,acetoacetic, pyruvic, trifluoroacetic, propionic, butyric, hexanoic,heptanoic, undecanoic, lauric, benzoic, salicylic,2-(4-hydroxybenzoyl)-benzoic, camphoric, cinnamic,cyclopentanepropionic, digluconic, 3-hydroxy-2-naphthoic, nicotinic,pamoic, pectinic, persulfuric, 3-phenylpropionic, picric, pivalic,2-hydroxyethanesulfonate, itaconic, sulfamic, trifluoromethanesulfonic,dodecylsulfuric, ethansulfonic, benzenesulfonic, para-toluenesulfonic,methansulfonic, 2-naphthalenesulfonic, naphthalinedisulfonic,camphorsulfonic acid, citric, tartaric, stearic, lactic, oxalic,malonic, succinic, malic, adipic, alginic, maleic, fumaric, D-gluconic,mandelic, ascorbic, glucoheptanoic, glycerophosphoric, aspartic,sulfosalicylic, hemisulfuric, or thiocyanic acid, for example.

Further, another suitably pharmaceutically acceptable salt of a compoundof the present invention which is sufficiently acidic, is an alkalimetal salt, for example a sodium or potassium salt, an alkaline earthmetal salt, for example a calcium or magnesium salt, an ammonium salt ora salt with an organic base which affords a physiologically acceptablecation, for example a salt with N-methyl-glucamine, dimethyl-glucamine,ethyl-glucamine, lysine, dicyclohexylamine, 1,6-hexadiamine,ethanolamine, glucosamine, sarcosine, serinol,tris-hydroxy-methyl-aminomethane, aminopropandiol, sovak-base,1-amino-2,3,4-butantriol. Additionally, basic nitrogen containing groupsmay be quaternised with such agents as lower alkyl halides such asmethyl, ethyl, propyl, and butyl chlorides, bromides and iodides;dialkyl sulfates like dimethyl, diethyl, and dibutyl sulfate; and diamylsulfates, long chain halides such as decyl, lauryl, myristyl andstrearyl chlorides, bromides and iodides, aralkyl halides like benzyland phenethyl bromides and others.

Those skilled in the art will further recognise that acid addition saltsof the claimed compounds may be prepared by reaction of the compoundswith the appropriate inorganic or organic acid via any of a number ofknown methods. Alternatively, alkali and alkaline earth metal salts ofacidic compounds of the invention are prepared by reacting the compoundsof the invention with the appropriate base via a variety of knownmethods.

The present invention includes all possible salts of the compounds ofthe present invention as single salts, or as any mixture of said salts,in any ratio.

As used herein, the term “in vivo hydrolysable ester” is understood asmeaning an in vivo hydrolysable ester of a compound of the presentinvention containing a carboxy or hydroxy group, for example, apharmaceutically acceptable ester which is hydrolysed in the human oranimal body to produce the parent acid or alcohol. Suitablepharmaceutically acceptable esters for carboxy include for examplealkyl, cycloalkyl and optionally substituted phenylalkyl, in particularbenzyl esters, C₁-C₆ alkoxymethyl esters, e.g. methoxymethyl, C₁-C₆alkanoyloxymethyl esters, e.g. pivaloyloxymethyl, phthalidyl esters,C₃-C₈ cycloalkoxy-carbonyloxy-C₁-C₆ alkyl esters, e.g.1-cyclohexylcarbonyloxyethyl; 1,3-dioxolen-2-onylmethyl esters, e.g.5-methyl-1,3-dioxolen-2-onylmethyl; and C₁-C₆-alkoxycarbonyloxyethylesters, e.g. 1-methoxycarbonyloxyethyl, and may be formed at any carboxygroup in the compounds of this invention.

An in vivo hydrolysable ester of a compound of the present inventioncontaining a hydroxy group includes inorganic esters such as phosphateesters and [alpha]-acyloxyalkyl ethers and related compounds which as aresult of the in vivo hydrolysis of the ester breakdown to give theparent hydroxy group. Examples of [alpha]-acyloxyalkyl ethers includeacetoxymethoxy and 2,2-dimethylpropionyloxymethoxy. A selection of invivo hydrolysable ester forming groups for hydroxy include alkanoyl,benzoyl, phenylacetyl and substituted benzoyl and phenylacetyl,alkoxycarbonyl (to give alkyl carbonate esters), dialkylcarbamoyl andN-(dialkylaminoethyl)-N-alkylcarbamoyl (to give carbamates),dialkylaminoacetyl and carboxyacetyl. The present invention covers allsuch esters.

Furthermore, the present invention includes all possible crystallineforms, or polymorphs, of the compounds of the present invention, eitheras single polymorphs, or as a mixture of more than one polymorph, in anyratio.

In accordance with a first aspect, the present invention coverscompounds of general formula (I)

in which:

-   R¹ represents a *CH₂—Z moiety, * indicating the point of attachment    with the rest of the molecule,    -   wherein Z is a hydrogen atom, or a C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        —(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl, aryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        heteroaryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        R′(R″)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, H₂N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        —C₁-C₆-alkyl-CN, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl-, 3- to        7-membered heterocycloalkyl, aryl- or heteroaryl-group; said        C₁-C₆-alkyl-, —(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl, aryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        heteroaryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        R′(R″)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, H₂N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        —C₁-C₆-alkyl-CN, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl-, 3- to        7-membered heterocycloalkyl, aryl- or heteroaryl-group, is        optionally substituted, identically or differently, with 1, 2,        3, or 4 R′ groups;-   R² represents a

-   -   in which * indicates the point of attachment with the rest of        the molecule, and in which:    -   R^(6a), R^(6b), R^(6c), R^(6d)        -   represent, independently from each other, a hydrogen or            halogen atom, or a —CN, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-,            halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, R(R′)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-,            C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,            —C(═O)R, —C(═O)N(H)R, —C(═O)N(R)R′, —C(═O)OR, —N(R)R′, —NO₂,            —N(H)C(═O)R, —N(R)C(═O)R′, —N(H)C(═O)N(R)R′,            —N(R)C(═O)N(R′)R″, —N(H)C(═O)OR, —N(R)C(═O)OR′,            —N(H)S(═O)R′, —N(R)S(═O)R′, —N(H)S(═O)₂R, —N(R)S(═O)₂R′,            —N═S(═O)(R)R′, —OR, —O(C═O)R, —O(C═O)N(R)R′, —O(C═O)OR,            —S(═O)₂N(H)R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′— group; and    -   R^(6e) represents a cyclopropyl-group being optionally        substituted, identically or differently, with 1, 2, 3, or 4        groups selected from: hydrogen, halogen, —OH, —CN, C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        —C₁-C₆-alkoxy, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-;

-   R³ represents a C₁-C₆-alkyl-S—, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₂-C₆-alkenyl,    —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₄-C₈-cycloalkenyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl,    —S—(CH₂)_(m)-(3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl), —S—(CH₂)_(m)-(4-    to 8-membered heterocycloalkenyl), —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R,    —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group;    -   said C₁-C₆-alkyl-S—, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₂-C₆-alkenyl,        —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₄-C₈-cycloalkenyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl,        —S—(CH₂)_(m)-(3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl),        —S—(CH₂)_(m)(4- to 8-membered heterocycloalkenyl), —SR, —S(═O)R,        —S(═O)₂R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group    -   being optionally substituted, identically or differently, with        1, 2, 3, or 4 R⁸ groups

-   R⁴ represents a hydrogen atom;

-   R⁵ represents a hydrogen atom;

-   R⁷ represents a hydrogen or halogen atom, or a —CN, HO—,    C₁-C₆-alkoxy-, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,    halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-R(R′)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl,    HO—C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,    halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, 3- to 7-membered    heterocycloalkyl, aryl-, heteroaryl-, —C(═O)R, —C(═O)N(H)R,    —C(═O)N(R)R′, —C(═O)OR, —N(R)R′, —NO₂, —N(H)C(═O)R, —N(R)C(═O)R′,    —N(H)C(═O)N(R)R′, —N(R)C(═O)N(R′)R″, —N(H)C(═O)OR, —N(R)C(═O)OR′,    —N(H)S(═O)R, —N(R)S(═O)R′, —N(H)S(═O)₂R, —N(R)S(═O)₂R′,    —N═S(═O)(R)R′, —OR, —O(C═O)R, —O(C═O)OR, —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R,    —S(═O)₂N(H)R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group;

-   R⁸ represents a hydrogen or halogen atom, or a —CN, HO—,    C₁-C₆-alkoxy-, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,    halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-R(R′)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl,    HO—C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,    halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, 3- to 7-membered    heterocycloalkyl-, aryl-, heteroaryl-, —C(═O)R, —C(═O)N(H)R,    —C(═O)N(R)R′, —C(═O)OR, —N(R)R′, —NO₂, —N(H)C(═O)R, —N(R)C(═O)R′,    —N(H)C(═O)N(R)R′, —N(R)C(═O)N(R′)R″, —N(H)C(═O)OR, —N(R)C(═O)OR′,    —N(H)S(═O)R, —N(R)S(═O)R′, —N(H)S(═O)₂R, —N(R)S(═O)₂R′,    —N═S(═O)(R)R′, —OR, —O(C═O)R, —O(C═O)OR, —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R,    —S(═O)₂N(H)R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group;

-   R, R′ and R″ are, independently from each other, a hydrogen atom or    a C₁-C₆-alkyl-group;

-   m is an integer of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6.

In a preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula (I),supra,

-   R¹ represents a *CH₂—Z moiety, wherein    -   * indicates the point of attachment with the rest of the        molecule,    -   Z is a C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        H₂N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, —C₁-C₆-alkyl-CN, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl-, a 3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl-,        C₂-C₆-alkenyl-, C₂-C₆-alkynyl-, aryl- or heteroaryl-group;    -   said C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        H₂N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, —C₁-C₆-alkyl-CN, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl-, a 3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl-,        C₂-C₆-alkenyl-, C₂-C₆-alkynyl-, aryl- or heteroaryl-group being        optionally substituted, identically or differently, with 1, 2,        or 3 R′ groups.

In another preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula(I), supra,

-   R¹ represents a *CH₂—Z moiety, * indicating the point of attachment    with the rest of the molecule,    -   wherein Z is a C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl- or        HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-group;    -   said C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl- or HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-group is        optionally substituted, identically or differently, with 1, 2,        3, or 4 R′ groups.

In another preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula(I), supra,

-   R¹ represents a 1,1,1-trifluoropropyl group.

In another preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula(I), supra,

-   R² represents a

-   -   in which * indicates the point of attachment with the rest of        the molecule, and in which:    -   R^(6a), R^(6b), R^(6c), R^(6d)    -   represent, independently from each other, a hydrogen or halogen        atom, or a —CN, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        R(R′)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, —C(═O)R, —C(═O)N(H)R,        —C(═O)N(R)R′, —C(═O)OR, —N(R)R′, —NO₂, —N(H)C(═O)R,        —N(R)C(═O)R′, —N(H)C(═O)N(R)R′, —N(R)C(═O)N(R′)R″, —N(H)C(═O)OR,        —N(R)C(═O)OR′, —N(H)S(═O)R′, —N(R)S(═O)R′, —N(H)S(═O)₂R,        —N(R)S(═O)₂R′, —N═S(═O)(R)R′, —OR, —O(C═O)R, —O(C═O)N(R)R′,        —O(C═O)OR, —S(═O)₂N(H)R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′— group; and    -   R^(6e) represents a cyclopropyl-group.

In another preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula(I), supra,

-   R² represents a

-   -   in which * indicates the point of attachment with the rest of        the molecule, and in which:    -   R^(6a), R^(6b), R^(6c), R^(6d)        -   represent, independently from each other, a hydrogen or a            C₁-C₆-alkyl-group; and        -   R^(6e) represents a cyclopropyl-group.

In another preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula(I), supra,

-   R³ represents a C₁-C₆-alkyl-S— or —SR group;    -   said C₁-C₆-alkyl-S— or —SR group    -   being optionally substituted, identically or differently, with        1, 2, 3, or 4 R⁸ groups.

In another preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula(I), supra,

R^(6a), R^(6b), R^(6c), and R^(6d) are selected, independently from eachother, from hydrogen, halo-, —CN, —OH, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-.

In another preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula(I), supra,

R^(6a), R^(6b), R^(6c), R^(6d) K represent, independently from eachother, a hydrogen or halogen atom, or a C₁-C₆-alkyl- orC₁-C₆-alkoxy-group.

In another preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula(I), supra,

R^(6a), R^(6b), R^(6c), and R^(6d) are selected, independently from eachother, from hydrogen, C₁-C₄-alkyl-.

In another preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula(I), supra,

R^(6a) and R^(6b) represent H; and

R^(6c) and R^(6d) are selected, independently from each other, fromhydrogen, halo-, —CN, —OH, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-.

In another preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula(I), supra,

R^(6a) and R^(6b) represent H; and

R^(6c) and R^(6d) are selected, independently from each other, fromhydrogen, halo-, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-.

In another preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula(I), supra,

R^(6a) and R^(6b) represent H; and

R^(6c) and R^(6d) are selected, independently from each other, fromhydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl-.

In another preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula(I), supra,

(R^(6a), R^(6b), R^(6c), R^(6d)) is either (H, H, H, C₁-C₄-alkyl-) or(H, H, C₁-C₄-alkyl-, H).

In another preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula(I), supra,

(R^(6a), R^(6b), R^(6c), R^(6d)) is either (H, H, H, CH₃) or (H, H, CH₃,H).

In another preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula(I), supra,

-   R^(6e) represents a cyclopropyl-group being optionally substituted,    identically or differently, with 1, 2 or 3 groups selected from:    -   halogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl-.

In another preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula(I), supra,

-   R^(6e) represents a cyclopropyl-group being optionally substituted,    identically or differently, with 1, 2 or 3 groups selected from:    -   halogen, C₁-C₄-alkyl-.

In another preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula(I), supra,

-   R^(6e) represents a cyclopropyl-group being optionally substituted,    identically or differently, with 1, 2 or 3 groups selected from:    -   halogen, C₁-C₃-alkyl-.

In another preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula(I), supra,

-   R^(6e) represents a cyclopropyl-group being optionally substituted,    identically or differently, with 1, 2 or 3 groups selected from:    -   halogen, methyl-.

In another preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula(I), supra,

-   R^(6e) represents a cyclopropyl-group being optionally substituted,    identically or differently, with 1 or 2 groups selected from:    -   fluor, methyl-.

In another preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula(I), supra,

-   R⁷ represents a hydrogen atom, or a HO— or —OR group.

In another preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula(I), supra,

-   R⁸ represents a hydrogen or halogen atom.

In another preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula(I), supra,

-   R, R′ and R″ represent a hydrogen atom.

In another preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula(I), supra,

-   m is 0.

In another preferred embodiment, with respect to compounds of formula(I), supra,

-   m is 1.

In another preferred embodiment, the invention relates to compounds offormula (I), according to any of the above-mentioned embodiments, in theform of or a stereoisomer, a tautomer, an N-oxide, a hydrate, a solvate,or a salt thereof, or a mixture of same.

It is to be understood that the present invention relates also to anycombination of the preferred embodiments described above.

Some examples of combinations are given hereinafter. However, theinvention is not limited to these combinations.

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention relates to compounds ofgeneral formula (I), supra, in which:

-   R¹ represents a *CH₂—Z moiety, * indicating the point of attachment    with the rest of the molecule,    -   wherein Z is a hydrogen atom, or a C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        —(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl, aryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        heteroaryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        R′(R″)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, H₂N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        —C₁-C₆-alkyl-CN, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl-, a 3- to        7-membered heterocycloalkyl, aryl- or heteroaryl-group;    -   said C₁-C₆-alkyl-, —(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl,        aryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, heteroaryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        R′(R″)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, H₂N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        —C₁-C₆-alkyl-CN, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl-, a 3- to        7-membered heterocycloalkyl, aryl- or heteroaryl-group, is        optionally substituted, identically or differently, with 1, 2,        3, or 4 R⁷ groups;

R² represents a

-   -   in which * indicates the point of attachment with the rest of        the molecule, and in which:    -   R^(6a), R^(6b), R^(6c), R^(6d)        -   represent, independently from each other, a hydrogen or            halogen atom, or a —CN, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-,            halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, R(R′)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-,            C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,            —C(═O)R, —C(═O)N(H)R, —C(═O)N(R)R′, —C(═O)OR, —N(R)R′, —NO₂,            —N(H)C(═O)R, —N(R)C(═O)R′, —N(H)C(═O)N(R)R′,            —N(R)C(═O)N(R′)R″, —N(H)C(═O)OR, —N(R)C(═O)OR′,            —N(H)S(═O)R′, —N(R)S(═O)R′, —N(H)S(═O)₂R, —N(R)S(═O)₂R′,            —N═S(═O)(R)R′, —OR, —O(C═O)R, —O(C═O)N(R)R′, —O(C═O)OR,            —S(═O)₂N(H)R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′— group; and    -   R^(6e) represents a cyclopropyl-group;

-   R³ represents a C₁-C₆-alkyl-S—, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₂-C₆-alkenyl,    —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₄-C₈-cycloalkenyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl,    —S—(CH₂)_(m)-(3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl), —S—(CH₂)_(m)(4- to    8-membered heterocycloalkenyl), —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R,    —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group;    -   said C₁-C₆-alkyl-S—, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₂-C₆-alkenyl,        —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₄-C₈-cycloalkenyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl,        —S—(CH₂)_(m)-(3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl),        —S—(CH₂)_(m)(4- to 8-membered heterocycloalkenyl), —SR, —S(═O)R,        —S(═O)₂R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group    -   being optionally substituted, identically or differently, with        1, 2, 3, or 4 R⁸ groups

-   R⁴ represents a hydrogen atom;

-   R⁵ represents a hydrogen atom;

-   R⁷ represents a hydrogen or halogen atom, or a —CN, HO—,    C₁-C₆-alkoxy-, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,    halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-R(R′)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl,    HO—C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,    halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, 3- to 7-membered    heterocycloalkyl, aryl-, heteroaryl-, —C(═O)R, —C(═O)N(H)R,    —C(═O)N(R)R′, —C(═O)OR, —N(R)R′, —NO₂, —N(H)C(═O)R, —N(R)C(═O)R′,    —N(H)C(═O)N(R)R′, —N(R)C(═O)N(R′)R″, —N(H)C(═O)OR, —N(R)C(═O)OR′,    —N(H)S(═O)R, —N(R)S(═O)R′, —N(H)S(═O)₂R, —N(R)S(═O)₂R′,    —N═S(═O)(R)R′, —OR, —O(C═O)R, —O(C═O)OR, —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R,    —S(═O)₂N(H)R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group;

-   R⁸ represents a hydrogen or halogen atom, or a —CN, HO—,    C₁-C₆-alkoxy-, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,    halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-R(R′)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl,    HO—C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,    halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, 3- to 7-membered    heterocycloalkyl, aryl-, heteroaryl-, —C(═O)R, —C(═O)N(H)R,    —C(═O)N(R)R′, —C(═O)OR, —N(R)R′, —NO₂, —N(H)C(═O)R, —N(R)C(═O)R′,    —N(H)C(═O)N(R)R′, —N(R)C(═O)N(R′)R″, —N(H)C(═O)OR, —N(R)C(═O)OR′,    —N(H)S(═O)R, —N(R)S(═O)R′, —N(H)S(═O)₂R, —N(R)S(═O)₂R′,    —N═S(═O)(R)R′, —OR, —O(C═O)R, —O(C═O)OR, —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R,    —S(═O)₂N(H)R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group;

-   R, R′ and R″ are, independently from each other, a hydrogen atom or    a C₁-C₆-alkyl-group;

-   m is an integer of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6;    or a stereoisomer, a tautomer, an N-oxide, a hydrate, a solvate, or    a salt thereof, or a mixture of same.

In another preferred embodiment, the present invention relates tocompounds of general formula (I), supra, in which:

-   R¹ represents a *CH₂—Z moiety, * indicating the point of attachment    with the rest of the molecule,    -   wherein Z is a hydrogen atom, or a C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        —(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl, aryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        heteroaryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        R′(R″)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, H₂N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        —C₁-C₆-alkyl-CN, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl-, a 3- to        7-membered heterocycloalkyl, aryl- or heteroaryl-group;    -   said C₁-C₆-alkyl-, —(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl,        aryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, heteroaryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        R′(R″)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, H₂N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        —C₁-C₆-alkyl-CN, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,        halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl-, a 3- to        7-membered heterocycloalkyl, aryl- or heteroaryl-group, is        optionally substituted, identically or differently, with 1, 2,        3, or 4 R′ groups;-   R² represents a

-   -   in which * indicates the point of attachment with the rest of        the molecule, and in which:    -   R^(6a), R^(6b), R^(6c), R^(6d)        -   represent, independently from each other, a hydrogen or a            C₁-C₆-alkyl-group; and        -   R^(6e) represents a cyclopropyl-group;

-   R³ represents a C₁-C₆-alkyl-S—, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₂-C₆-alkenyl,    —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₄-C₈-cycloalkenyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl,    —S—(CH₂)_(m)(3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl), —S—(CH₂)_(m)-(4- to    8-membered heterocycloalkenyl), —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R,    —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group;    -   said C₁-C₆-alkyl-S—, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₂-C₆-alkenyl,        —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₄-C₈-cycloalkenyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl,        —S—(CH₂)_(m)-(3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl),        S—(CH₂)_(m)-(4- to 8-membered heterocycloalkenyl), —SR, —S(═O)R,        —S(═O)₂R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group    -   being optionally substituted, identically or differently, with        1, 2, 3, or 4 R⁸ groups

-   R⁴ represents a hydrogen atom;

-   R⁵ represents a hydrogen atom;

-   R⁷ represents a hydrogen or halogen atom, or a —CN, HO—,    C₁-C₆-alkoxy-, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,    halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-R(R′)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl,    HO—C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,    halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, 3- to 7-membered    heterocycloalkyl, aryl-, heteroaryl-, —C(═O)R, —C(═O)N(H)R,    —C(═O)N(R)R′, —C(═O)OR, —N(R)R′, —NO₂, —N(H)C(═O)R, —N(R)C(═O)R′,    —N(H)C(═O)N(R)R′, —N(R)C(═O)N(R′)R″, —N(H)C(═O)OR, —N(R)C(═O)OR′,    —N(H)S(═O)R, —N(R)S(═O)R′, —N(H)S(═O)₂R, —N(R)S(═O)₂R′,    —N═S(═O)(R)R′, —OR, —O(C═O)R, —O(C═O)OR, —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R,    —S(═O)₂N(H)R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group;

-   R⁸ represents a hydrogen or halogen atom, or a —CN, HO—,    C₁-C₆-alkoxy-, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,    halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-R(R′)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl,    HO—C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-,    halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, 3- to 7-membered    heterocycloalkyl, aryl-, heteroaryl-, —C(═O)R, —C(═O)N(H)R,    —C(═O)N(R)R′, —C(═O)OR, —N(R)R′, —NO₂, —N(H)C(═O)R, —N(R)C(═O)R′,    —N(H)C(═O)N(R)R′, —N(R)C(═O)N(R′)R″, —N(H)C(═O)OR, —N(R)C(═O)OR′,    —N(H)S(═O)R, —N(R)S(═O)R′, —N(H)S(═O)₂R, —N(R)S(═O)₂R′,    —N═S(═O)(R)R′, —OR, —O(C═O)R, —O(C═O)OR, —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R,    —S(═O)₂N(H)R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group;

-   R, R′ and R″ are, independently from each other, a hydrogen atom or    a C₁-C₆-alkyl-group;

-   m is an integer of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6;    or a stereoisomer, a tautomer, an N-oxide, a hydrate, a solvate, or    a salt thereof, or a mixture of same.

In another preferred embodiment, the present invention relates tocompounds of general formula (I), supra, in which:

-   R¹ represents a *CH₂—Z moiety, * indicating the point of attachment    with the rest of the molecule,    -   wherein Z is a C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl- or        HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-group;    -   said C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl- or HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-group is        optionally substituted, identically or differently, with 1, 2,        3, or 4 R⁷ groups;-   R² represents a

-   -   in which * indicates the point of attachment with the rest of        the molecule, and in which:    -   R^(6a), R^(6b), R^(6c), R^(6d)        -   represent, independently from each other, a hydrogen or a            C₁-C₆-alkyl-group; and    -   R^(6e) represents a cyclopropyl-group;

-   R³ represents a C₁-C₆-alkyl-S— or —SR group;    -   said C₁-C₆-alkyl-S— or —SR group    -   being optionally substituted, identically, or differently, with        1, 2, 3, or 4 R⁸ groups

-   R⁴ represents a hydrogen atom;

-   R⁵ represents a hydrogen atom;

-   R⁷ represents a hydrogen atom, or a HO— or —OR group;

-   R⁸ represents a hydrogen or halogen atom;

-   R, R′ and R″ are, independently from each other, a hydrogen atom;

-   m is an integer of 0, 1;    or a stereoisomer, a tautomer, an N-oxide, a hydrate, a solvate, or    a salt thereof, or a mixture of same.

It is to be understood that the present invention relates to anysub-combination within any embodiment of the present invention ofcompounds of general formula (I), supra.

More particularly still, the present invention covers compounds ofgeneral formula (I) which are disclosed in the Example section of thistext, infra.

In accordance with another aspect, the present invention covers methodsof preparing compounds of the present invention, said methods comprisingthe steps as described in the Experimental Section herein.

In accordance with a further aspect, the present invention coversintermediate compounds which are useful in the preparation of compoundsof the present invention of general formula (I), particularly in themethod described herein. In particular, the present invention covers:

-   -   compounds of general formula (13):

in which R¹, R³, R⁴ and R⁵ are as defined for general formula (I) supra,and Q is a leaving group, such as a chlorine, bromine, or iodine atom;

-   -   compounds of general formula (9):

in which R², R³, R⁴ and R⁵ are as defined for general formula (I) supra;and

-   -   compounds of general formula (6):

in which R¹, R², R⁴ and R⁵ are as defined for general formula (I) supra.

In accordance with yet another aspect, the present invention covers theuse:

-   -   of the intermediate compounds of general formula (13) as defined        supra; or    -   of the intermediate compounds of general formula (9) as defined        supra; or    -   of the intermediate compounds of general formula (4) as defined        supra; for the preparation of a compound of general formula (I)        as defined supra.

EXPERIMENTAL SECTION

As mentioned supra, another aspect of the present invention is a methodwhich may be used for preparing the compounds according to the presentinvention.

The following Table lists the abbreviations used in this paragraph, andin the Examples section. NMR peak forms are stated as they appear in thespectra, possible higher order effects have not been considered.

Abbreviation Meaning Ac acetyl br broad c- cyclo- d doublet dd doubletof doublets DCM dichloromethane DIPEA N,N-diisopropylethylamine DMFN,N-dimethylformamide DMSO dimethyl sulfoxide dppf1,1′-bis(di-phenylphosphino)ferrocene EDCN-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]-N′-ethylcarbodiimide eq equivalent ESIelectrospray ionisation M multiplet MS mass spectrometry MW molecularweight NBS N-bromosuccinimide NMP N-methylpyrrolidinone NMR nuclearmagnetic resonance spectroscopy: chemical shifts (δ) are given in ppm.Pd(dppf)Cl₂ 1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocenedichloropalladium(II)Pd(OAc)₂ palladium(II) acetate POCl₃ phosphoroxychloride P(oTol)₃tri-o-tolylphosphine q quartet rt room temperature RT retention time inminutes s singlet sept septet t triplet TEA triethylamine TFAtrifluoroacetic acid THF tetrahydrofuran UPLC ultra performance liquidchromatography

The schemes and procedures described below illustrate general syntheticroutes to the compounds of general formula (I) of the invention and arenot intended to be limiting. It is obvious to the person skilled in theart that the order of transformations as exemplified in the Schemes canbe modified in various ways. The order of transformations exemplified inthe Schemes is therefore not intended to be limiting. In addition,interconversion of any of the substituents, R¹, R², R³, R⁴, or R⁵ can beachieved before and/or after the exemplified transformations. Thesemodifications can be such as the introduction of protecting groups,cleavage of protecting groups, reduction or oxidation of functionalgroups, halogenation, metallation, substitution or other reactions knownto the person skilled in the art. These transformations include thosewhich introduce a functionality which allows for further interconversionof substituents. Appropriate protecting groups and their introductionand cleavage are well-known to the person skilled in the art (see forexample T. W. Greene and P. G. M. Wuts in Protective Groups in OrganicSynthesis, 3^(rd) edition, Wiley 1999). Specific examples are describedin the subsequent paragraphs. Further, it is possible that two or moresuccessive steps may be performed without work-up being performedbetween said steps, e.g. a “one-pot” reaction, as is well-known to theperson skilled in the art.

A first reaction scheme is outlined infra:

Synthesis of Compounds of General Formula (I)

wherein R¹, R², R³, R⁴, and R⁵ have the meaning as given for generalformula (I), supra, and Y represents a “suitable functional group” viawhich the R² of the R²—Y compound can be coupled, by a couplingreaction, onto the Q-bearing carbon atom of a compound (4), therebyreplacing said Q with said R² moiety.

Compounds of general formula (I) can be synthesised according to theprocedures depicted in Scheme 1. The scheme exemplifies the main routesthat allow variations in position NH—R¹, R² and R³ as last step of thesynthesis.

Key reaction for introduction of NH—R¹ are nucleophilic substitutions of8-halo or 8-sulfonyl precursors, i.e. by reaction with suitable aminesin the presence of a suitable base, such as, for example DIPEA in asuitable solvent such as DMF, or NMP, at temperatures ranging from roomtemperature to the boiling point (reactions (4) to (5), (9) to (6)).

Introduction of R² moieties in position 3 is achieved from suitable3-halo precursors by a coupling reaction, for example, particularly ametal-catalysed coupling reaction, with a compound of formula R²—Y, inwhich R² is as defined as for compounds of general formula (I) supra,and Y represents a “suitable functional group” via which the R² of theR²—Y compound can be coupled onto the Q-bearing carbon atom of acompound (4), thereby replacing said Q with said R² moiety (reactions(3) to (7), (5) to (6), (8) to (9)). Examples of such “suitablefunctional groups”, Y in R²—Y include boronic acids, R²—B(OH)₂, orboronic esters, R²—B(OC₁-C₆-alkyl)₂.

Examples of “such suitable groups Q” include chlorine, bromine andiodine. Examples of such coupling reactions may be found in the textbookentitled “Metal-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling Reactions”, Armin de Meijere(Editor), Francois Diederich (Editor) September 2004, Wiley InterscienceISBN: 978-3-527-30518-6. Said coupling reactions take place optionallyin the presence of a suitable catalyst, such as Pd(OAc)₂ and P(oTol)₃for example, and optionally with a suitable base, such as potassiumcarbonate for example, optionally in a suitable solvent, such as THF forexample.

Introduction of R³ moieties can be achieved by various reactionsincluding the coupling reactions used for R² moieties.

Further examples of such “suitable functional groups” Y include:

-   -   a hydrogen atom which can be activated in a coupling reaction,        for example an olefinic hydrogen atom, e.g. —C(H)═C(H)—H, or,    -   a hydrogen atom which may be abstracted, for example with a        base.

The corresponding reactions include other palladium catalyzed couplingreactions like Sonogashira coupling reactions with alkynes for alkyneintroduction, Heck coupling reactions with alkenes for alkeneintroduction, Hartwig Buchwald coupling reactions with amines for amineintroduction. Ethers and thioethers can be introduced by reaction withsuitable alcohols or thiols in presence of a base, for example sodiumhydride, in a suitable solvent, such as DMSO, at temperatures rangingfrom rt to the boiling point. Here, mainly thioethers were synthesized.

The starting material, 6-substituted 3,5-dibromo-pyrazin-2-ylamineintermediates of general formula (A) may be commercially available orcan be synthesized according procedures known to persons skilled in theart. Alternatively, R⁴ substituents in position 6 can also beincorporated at a later stage of the synthesis route to the targetcompounds.

Intermediates of formula (A) can be converted to the corresponding

6,8-dibromo-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine intermediate of general formula (1)by reaction with an alpha-halo-keto derivative, for example2-bromo-1,1-diethoxy-ethane in a suitable solvent system, such as, forexample, THF and water, at temperatures ranging from room temperature tothe boiling point of the solvent.

8-thiomethylimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine intermediates can be obtained byconversion of 8-halo precursors with sodium thiomethylate in thepresence of a suitable solvent, such as DMF at temperatures ranging from−20° C. to the boiling point of the solvent (reaction (1) to (2)).

8-methanesulfonyl-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine intermediates can be obtainedfrom 8-thiomethyl imidazopyrazine precursors by reaction with anoxidizing agent such as, for example, meta-chloro perbenzoic acid in asuitable solvent such as DCM, at temperatures ranging from roomtemperature to the boiling point (reactions (3) to (4)).

3-halo-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine intermediates can be obtained fromsuitable 3-hydrogen precursors by reaction with a suitable halogenationagent NQS, such as NIS for example, in the presence of a suitablesolvent, such as DMF at temperatures ranging from room temperature tothe boiling point of the solvent (reactions (1) to (8), (2) to (3)).

The compounds and intermediates produced according to the methods of theinvention may require purification. Purification of organic compounds iswell known to the person skilled in the art and there may be severalways of purifying the same compound. In some cases, no purification maybe necessary. In some cases, the compounds may be purified bycrystallisation. In some cases, impurities may be removed by stirringusing a suitable solvent. In some cases, the compounds may be purifiedby chromatography, particularly, flash chromatography, using for examplepre-packed silica gel cartridges, e.g. from Separtis such as Isolute®Flash silica gel or Isolute® Flash NH2 silica gel in combination with asuitable chromatographic system such as a Flashmaster II (Separtis) oran Isolera system (Biotage) and eluents such as, for example, gradientsof hexane/EtOAc or DCM/methanol. In some cases, the compounds may bepurified by preparative HPLC using, for example, a Waters autopurifierequipped with a diode array detector and/or on-line electrosprayionisation mass spectrometer in combination with a suitable pre-packedreverse phase column and eluants such as, for example, gradients ofwater and acetonitrile which may contain additives such astrifluoroacetic acid, formic acid or aqueous ammonia.

Analytical UPLC-MS was performed as follows:

Method A: System: UPLC Acquity (Waters) with PDA Detector and Waters ZQmass spectrometer; Column: Acquity BEH C18 1.7 μm 2.1×50 mm;Temperature: 60° C.;

Solvent A: Water+0.1% formic acid; Solvent B: acetonitrile; Gradient:99% A→1% A (1.6 min)→1% A (0.4 min); Flow: 0.8 mL/min; Injection Volume:1.0 μl (0.1 mg-1 mg/mL sample concentration); Detection: PDA scan range210-400 nm—Fixed and ESI (+), scan range 170-800 m/z

Names of compounds were generated using the Autonom 2000 add-in ofISIS/Draw [MDL Information Systems Inc. (Elsevier MDL)] or the ICSnaming tool of ACD labs.

Numbering of intermediates in Scheme 1 and Scheme 2 matches the numbersof the following intermediate examples.

Intermediate Example 1-1: Preparation of6,8-dibromo-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine

To a stirred suspension of 2-amino-3,5-dibrompyrazine (427 g, 1688 mmol)in water (6.4 L)/THF (482 mL), at rt was addedbromacetaldehyde-diethylacetal (998 g, 5065 mmol) in one portion. Afterstirring under reflux for 4 h, the clear orange solution was stirred foran additional 15 h at rt. The suspension was filtered, and the remainingsolid was washed with MeOH (2 L) and dried in vaccuo at 60° C. to yield6,8-dibromo-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine as an off-white solid (500 g, 107%with residual MeOH): ¹H-NMR (300 MHz, d₆-DMSO): δ=9.02 (s, 1H), 8.23 (d,1H), 7.89 (d, 1H) ppm. UPLC-MS: RT=0.80 min; m/z 277.9 [MH⁺]; requiredMW=276.9.

Intermediate Example 1-2: Preparation of(6,8-dibromoimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-2-yl)methanol

Step A: Preparation of ethyl6,8-dibromoimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine-2-carboxylate

To a stirred solution of 2-amino-3,5-dibrompyrazine (20 g, 79 mmol) indimethylcarbonate (133 mL) at rt was added ethyl 3-bromo-2-oxopropanoate(17.14 g, 79 mmol) in one portion. After stirring at 110° C. for 3 h,the solution was stirred at rt overnight. Water and DCM were added andthe aqueous phase was extracted with DCM. After washing of the organicphase with water, drying over Na₂(SO₄) and filtration the organic phasewas evaporated. Flash chromatography yielded 13.95 g (50.6%) ethyl6,8-dibromoimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine-2-carboxylate: ¹H-NMR (300 MHz,

Step B: Preparation of (6,8-dibromoimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-2-yl)methanol

To a stirred solution of ethyl6,8-dibromoimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine-2-carboxylate (13.95 g, 40 mmol) intoluene (558 mL) at 0° C. was added 80 mL DIBAH (120 mmol, 3 eq, 1.5M intoluene) dropwise. After stirring overnight at rt, the solution waspoured on 1M HCl, extracted with ethyl acetate and the organic phase waswashed with water, sole, dried over sodium sulphate and filtered.Removal of the solvent and recrystallyzation from DCM yielded 5.55 g(45.2%) (6,8-dibromoimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-2-yl)methanol: ¹H-NMR (300MHz, d₆-DMSO): δ=8.93 (s, 1H), 8.05 (s, 1H), 5.46 (bs, 1H), 4.63 (s, 2H)ppm. UPLC-MS: RT=0.73 min; m/z 308.0 [MH⁺]; required MW=307.0.

Intermediate Example 2-1 Preparation of6-bromo-8-methylsulfanyl-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine

To a stirred suspension of intermediate example 1-16,8-dibromo-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine (489 g, 1766 mmol) in MeOH (2900 mL)at −20° C. was dropwise added a solution of sodium methan thiolate (225g, 3214 mmol, 1.8 eq) in 800 mL water. After stirring overnight, theclear solution was poured on 30 L water and the yellowish precipitatewas filtered, washed with 3 L water and dried in vaccuo to yield 301 g6-bromo-8-methylsulfanyl-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine (69.8%). ¹H-NMR (300MHz, d₆-DMSO): δ=8.64 (1H, s), 8.00 (1H, d), 7.66 (1H, d2.54 (3H, s)ppm.

Intermediate Example 3-1 Preparation of6-bromo-3-iodo-8-methylsulfanyl-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine

To a stirred solution of 6-bromo-8-methylsulfanyl-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine(210.0 g, 860.3 mmol) in DMF (4200 mL) was added NIS (212.9 g, 946.3mmol, 1.1 eq) in one portion at rt. After 18 h stirring at 60° C. thedark solution was evaporated and the brown residue was dissolved in DCM(7 L), washed with water (2×5 L) and sole (2×5 L) and dried over sodiumsulphate. Crystallization by careful removal of solvent yielded 255 g(80.1%) 6-bromo-3-iodo-8-methylsulfanyl-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine: ¹H-NMR(300 MHz, d₆-DMSO): δ=8.24 (1H, s), 7.79 (1H, s), 2.46 (3H, s) ppm.

Intermediate Example 4-1 Preparation of6-bromo-3-iodo-8-methanesulfonyl-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine

To a stirred solution of6-bromo-3-iodo-8-methylsulfanyl-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine (100.0 g, 270.3mmol) in DCM (2000 mL) was added meta-chloro perbenzoic acid (116.6 g,675.6 mmol, 2.5 eq) in several portions at 0° C. After stirring for 1 hat rt, another equivalent of meta-chloro perbenzoic acid (46.64 g, 270.3mmol) was added and the mixture was stirred overnight. The suspensionwas filtered and the organic phase was washed with water (2 L),saturated NaHCO3 solution (2 L), sole (2 L), dried over sodium sulphate,filtered and evaporated to yield 197 g of an orange solid. The solid wasrefluxed in ethanole (300 mL) for 15 min, filtered and dried at 50° C.in vaccuo to yield 104.5 g (96.2%)6-bromo-3-iodo-8-methanesulfonyl-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine as a yellowishsolid: ¹H-NMR (300 MHz, CDCl₃): δ=8.45 (1H, s), 8.07 (1H, s), 3.54 (3H,s) ppm.

Intermediate Example 5-1 Preparation of(6-bromo-3-iodo-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-8-yl)-isobutyl-amine

To a stirred solution of6-bromo-3-iodo-8-methanesulfonyl-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine (5.08 g, 12.64mmol) in NMP (100 mL) was added 3.77 mL isobutylamine (2.77 g, 37.90mmol, 3 eq) in one portion at rt. After stirring for 2 h at rt, 500 mLwater was added and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate (3×200mL). The organic phase was filtered, evaporated and the residue wasrecrystallized from MeOH/water to yield 3.87 g (77.52%)(6-bromo-3-iodo-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-8-yl)-isobutyl-amine: ¹H-NMR (300MHz, d₆-DMSO): δ=8.09 (1H, tr), 7.60 (1H, s), 7.54 (1H, s), 3.19 (2H,dd), 1.95 (1H, m), 0.85 (6H, d) ppm.

Intermediate Example 6-1 Preparation of4-(6-bromo-8-isobutylamino-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl)-N-cyclopropyl-benzamide

To a stirred solution of(6-bromo-3-iodo-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-8-yl)isobutyl-amine (74.20 g, 188mmol) in dioxane (1300 mL) was subsequently added 130 mL water, 119 gtripotassium phosphate (563 mmol, 3 eq), 50.06 g[4-[(cyclopropylamino)carbonyl]phenyl]-boronic acid (244 mmol, 1.3 eq)and 7.42 g Pd(dppf)Cl₂ (9 mmol, 0.05 eq) in one portion at rt underargon atmosphere. After stirring for 72 h at 40° C., the mixture waspoured on 5 L water and the precipitate was filtered off and washed withwater. The precipitate was taken up in DCM, washed with sat. sodiumchloride solution, dried over sodium sulphate and after filtration thesolvent was evaporated. Purification by flash chromatography(DCM/acetone 95:5) yielded 45.2 g (56.20%)4-(6-bromo-8-isobutylamino-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl)-N-cyclopropyl-benzamide:¹H-NMR (300 MHz, CDCl₃): δ=7.90 (2H, d), 7.65 (1H, s), 7.58 (2H, d),7.56 (1H, s), 6.32 (1H, s), 6.20 (1H, tr), 3.46 (2H, dd), 2.95 (1H, m),2.01 (1H, m), 1.04 (6H, d), 0.92 (2H, m), 0.66 (2H, m) ppm.

Intermediate Example 6-2 Preparation of4-[6-Bromo-2-(hydroxymethyl)-8-(isobutylamino)imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl]-N-cyclopropylbenzamide

To a solution of 50 mg (107 μmol)N-cyclopropyl-4-[6,8-dibromo-2-(hydroxymethyl)imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl]benzamidein 0.71 mL N,N-dimethylformamide were added 32 μL 2-methylpropan-1-amineand the mixture was stirred at 23° C. for 3 hours. Toluene was added andthe solvents removed. The residue was purified by chromatography to give40.7 mg (83%) of the title compound. ¹H-NMR (300 MHz d₆-DMSO): δ=8.52(1H, d), 8.12 (1H, t), 7.95 (2H, d), 7.68 (2H, d), 7.50 (1H, s), 5.18(1H, t), 4.46 (2H, d), 3.23 (2H, m), 2.85 (1H, m), 2.00 (1H, m), 0.87(6H, m), 0.68 (2H, m), 0.55 (2H, m) ppm. UPLC-MS: RT=1.18 min; m/z 459.4[MH⁺]; required MW=458.4.

The following intermediates were prepared analogously to the proceduredescribed above using the appropriate intermediate example 9 and theappropriate amine [LC-MS data such as retention time (RT in min) orobserved mass peak were collected using LC-MS Method A unless explicitlystated]:

Intermediate Example Structure Name Supporting Data 6-3

4-{6-bromo-8-[(2-hydroxy-2- methylpropyl)amino]imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl}-N- cyclopropylbenzamide Yield: 527 mg (74%) 6-4

4-(6-Bromo-8-{[(1-methyl-1H- pyrazol-5-yl)methyl]amino}imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl)- N-cyclopropylbenzamide Yield: 68 mg (63%)6-5

-{6-bromo-8-[(2-hydroxy-2- methylpropyl)amino]imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl}-N- cyclopropyl-2- methylbenzamide Yield: 415 mg(85%) 6-6

4-{6-bromo-8-[(3,3,3- trifluoropropyl) amino]imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl}-N-cyclopropyl- 2-methylbenzamide Yield: 464 mg (90%)

Intermediate Example 6-7 Preparation of4-{6-bromo-8-[(2-methylpropyl)amino]imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl}-2-chloro-N-cyclopropylbenzamide

To a stirred solution of6-bromo-3-iodo-8-methanesulfonyl-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine (4.02 g, 10mmol) in THF (50 mL) was added 1.47 g isobutylamine (20 mmol, 2 eq) inone portion at rt. After stirring overnight, 30 mL 1M potassiumcarbonate solution (30 mmol, 3 eq), 3.72 g[3-chloro-4-(cyclopropylcarbamoyl)phenyl]boronic acid (15 mmol, 1.5 eq)and 0.81 g Pd(dppf)Cl₂ (1 mmol, 0.1 eq) were subsequently added at rt.After stirring for 96 h at 65° C., the mixture was concentrated invaccuo, taken up in ethyl acetate and washed with water. After dryingover sodium sulphate and filtration, the solvent was evaporated.Purification by flash chromatography (ethyl acetate/hexane) yielded 1.88g (62.20%)4-{6-bromo-8-[(2-methylpropyl)amino]imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl}-2-chloro-N-cyclopropylbenzamide. ¹H-NMR (300 MHz, d₆-DMSO): δ=8.51 (1H, d), 8.11 (1H,t), 7.77 (1H, s), 7.74 (1H, s), 7.71 (1H, s), 7.64 (1H, d), 7.51 (1H,d), 3.23 (2H, t), 2.80 (1H, m), 1.99 (1H, m), 0.87 (6H, d), 0.67 (2H,m), 0.50 (2H, m) ppm. UPLC-MS: RT=1.33 min; m/z 463.8 [MH⁺]; requiredMW=462.8.

The following intermediates were prepared analogously to the proceduredescribed above using the appropriate amine and the appropriate boronicacid derivative [LC-MS data such as retention time (RT in min) orobserved mass peak were collected using LC-MS Method A unless explicitlystated]:

Intermediate Example Structure Name Supporting Data 6-8 

4-{6-bromo-8-[(3,3,3- trifluoropropyl) amino]imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl}-2-chloro-N- cyclopropylbenzamide Yield: 1.16 g (23%) 6-9 

4-{6-bromo-8-[(2-hydroxy-2- methylpropyl) amino]imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl}-2-chloro-N- cyclopropylbenzamide Yield: 3.21 g (67%) 6-10

4-{6-bromo-8-[(tetrahydrofuran-2- ylmethyl)amino]imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl}-2-chloro-N-cyclopropyl benzamide Yield: 2.00 g (41%) 6-11

4-(6-bromo-8-{[(1-methyl-1H- pyrazol- 5-yl)methyl]amino}imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl)-2-chloro-N- cyclopropylbenzamide Yield: 889 mg (18%)6-12

4-{6-bromo-8-[(2-methylpropyl) amino]imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl}-N-cyclopropyl-2-fluorobenzamide Yield: 2.48 g (56%) 6-13

4-{6-bromo-8-[(3,3,3-trifluoropropyl) amino]imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl}-N-cyclopropyl-2- fluorobenzamide Yield: 2.00 g (41%) 6-14

4-{6-bromo-8-[(2-hydroxy-2- methylpropyl) amino]imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl}-N-cyclopropyl-2- fluorobenzamide Yield: 2.53 g (55%) 6-15

4-{6-bromo-8-[(tetrahydrofuran-2- ylmethyl)amino]imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl}-N-cyclopropyl-2- fluorobenzamide Yield: 2.33 g (49%) 6-16

4-(6-bromo-8-{[(1-methyl-1H- pyrazol- 5-yl)methyl]amino}imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl)-N-cyclopropyl-2- fluorobenzamide Yield: 3.51 g (72%)

Intermediate Example 7-1 Preparation of4-(6-bromo-8-methylsulfanyl-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl)-N-cyclopropyl-benzamide

To a stirred solution of intermediate example 3-16-bromo-3-iodo-8-methylsulfanyl-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine (25.00 g, 67.6mmol) in THF (214 mL) and water (100 mL) was subsequently added 43 gtripotassium phosphate (203 mmol, 3 eq), 18.01 g[4-[(cyclopropylamino)carbonyl]phenyl]-boronic acid (87.8 mmol, 1.3 eq)and 5.52 g Pd(dppf)Cl₂ (6.8 mmol, 0.1 eq) in one portion at rt underargon atmosphere. After stirring overnight at 45° C., ethyl acetate wasadded and the organic phase was washed with sat. sodium chloridesolution, dried over sodium sulphate and filtered. After removal of thesolvent, purification by flash chromatography (n-hexane/ethyl acetate85:15) yielded 15.33 g (56.26%)4-(6-bromo-8-methylsulfanyl-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl)-N-cyclopropyl-benzamide:¹H-NMR (300 MHz, CDCl₃): δ=8.07 (1H, s), 7.92 (2H, d), 7.77 (1H, s),7.60 (2H, d), 6.32 (1H, bs), 2.95 (1H, m), 2.70 (3H, s), 0.92 (2H, m),0.67 (2H, m) ppm. UPLC-MS: RT=1.12 min; m/z 404.3 [MH⁺]; requiredMW=403.3.

Intermediate Example 8-1 Preparation of6,8-dibromo-3-iodo-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine

To a stirred solution of intermediate example 1-1 (8.7 g g, 31.4 mmol)in DMF (210 mL) was added NIS (7.42 g, 33 mmol, 1.05 eq) in one portionat rt. After 18 h stirring at 60° C., the solvent was removed in vaccuoand the residue was taken up in DCM and washed with water and saturatedsodium thiosulfate solution. The organic phase was dried over sodiumsulphate, filtered and the solvent was evaporated to yield 9.46 g(74.8%) 6,8-Dibromo-3-iodo-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine: ¹H-NMR (300 MHz,CDCl₃): δ=8.22 (1H, s), 7.91 (1H, s) ppm.

Intermediate Example 8-2: Preparation of(6,8-dibromo-3-iodoimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-2-yl)methanol

(6,8-dibromo-3-iodoimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-2-yl)methanol was preparedanalogously to 6,8-dibromo-3-iodo-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine to yield 5.53 g(70.66%) of (6,8-dibromo-3-iodoimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-2-yl)methanol:¹H-NMR (300 MHz, d₆-DMSO): δ=8.57 (1H, s), 5.41 (1H, t), 4.55 (2H, d)ppm. UPLC-MS: RT=0.91 min; m/z 433.9 [MH⁺]; required MW=432.9.

Intermediate Example 9-1 Preparation ofN-cyclopropyl-4-[6,8-dibromo-2-(hydroxymethyl)imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl]benzamide

A mixture comprising 5.53 g (12.78 mmol)(6,8-dibromo-3-iodoimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-2-yl)methanol which wasprepared according to intermediate example 15-2, 3.78 g4-(cyclopropylaminocarbonyl)phenylboronic acid, 0.93 g(1,1,-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene)-dichloropalladium (II), 19 mLaqueous 2M tribasic potassium phosphate solution and 55 mLtetrahydrofuran was subjected to microwave radiation for 30 minutes at100° C. Water was added and the mixture was extracted with ethylacetate. The organic layer was washed with brine and dried over sodiumsulfate. After filtration and removal of the solvent the residue waspurified by chromatography to give 1.83 g (31%) of the title compound.¹H-NMR (300 MHz, d6-DMSO): δ=8.56 (1H, d), 8.53 (1H, s), 7.98 (2H, d),7.74 (2H, d), 5.48 (1H, t), 4.53 (2H, d), 2.85 (1H, m), 0.69 (2H, m),0.56 (2H, m) ppm. UPLC-MS: RT=0.94 min; m/z 467.1 [MH⁺]; requiredMW=466.1

The following intermediates were prepared analogously using theappropriate boronic acid building block and appropriate di-bromo-iodoprecursor:

Intermediate Example Structure Name Supporting Data 9-2

N-cyclopropyl-4-(6,8-dibromo- imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3- yl)-benzamide¹H-NMR (300 MHz, CDCl₃): δ = 8.34 (1H, s), 7.98- 7.93 (3H, m), 7.61 (2H,d), 6.34 (1H, bs), 2.95 (1H, m), 0.92 (2H, m), 0.66 (2H, m) ppm. RT =1.02 MW_(found) = 437.1 MW_(calc) = 436.1 9-3

2-chloro-N-cyclopropyl-4-(6, 8-dibromoimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl)benzamide Yield: 1.39 g (40%) 9-4

N-cyclopropyl-4-(6,8- dibromoimidazo[1,2-a]pyran-3-yl)-2-methylbenzamide Yield: 968 mg (48%)

Intermediate Example 10 Preparation ofN-cyclopropyl-2-methyl-4-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)benzamide

Step A: Preparation of 4-bromo-N-cyclopropyl-2-methylbenzamide

To a stirred solution of 4-bromo-2-methylbenzoic acid (300 g, 1.4 mol)in DCM (8.4 L) at rt was added cyclopropanamine (79.64 g, 1.4 mol) andEDC (320.9 g, 1.67 mol) in one portion. After stirring overnight, thesolution was washed with water and the aqueous phase was reextractedwith DCM. The combined organic phases were dried over Na₂SO₄, filteredand evaporated. The remaining solid was triturated with diisopropylether, filtered, washed and dried in vaccuo to yield 260 g (73.4%)4-bromo-N-cyclopropyl-2-methylbenzamide: ¹H-NMR (300 MHz, CDCl₃): δ=7.34(s, 1H), 7.27 (d, 1H), 7.14 (d, 1H), 5.96 (bs, 1H), 2.85 (m, 1H), 2.38(s, 3H), 0.85 (m, 2H), 0.59 (m, 2H) ppm.

Step B Preparation ofN-cyclopropyl-2-methyl-4-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)benzamide

To a solution of 4-bromo-N-cyclopropyl-2-methylbenzamide (260 g, 1.02mot) in dioxane (2 L) at rt was added bis-(pinacolato)-diboron (390 g,1.53 mol), 2-dicyclohexylphosphino-2′,4′,6′-triisopropylbiphenyl (19.5g, 40.9 mmol), potassium acetate (150.6 g, 1.53 mol) andtris-(dibenzylidenaceton)-dipalladium(0) (9.37 g, 10.2 mmol) and themixture was refluxed for 6 h, After cooling to rt, water (3 L) and ethylacetate (5 L) was added and the mixture stirred for 15 min. The organicphase was washed with water, dried over Na₂(SO₄), filtered andevaporated. Flash chromatography (ethyl acetate/hexane) yielded 308 g(56.3%)N-cyclopropyl-2-methyl-4-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)benzamide:¹H-NMR (300 MHz, CDCl₃): δ=7.63 (s, 1H), 7.60 (d, 1H), 7.28 (d, 1H),5.94 (bs, 1H), 2.87 (m, 1H), 2.41 (s, 3H), 1.33 (s, 6H), 0.85 (m, 2H),0.59 (m, 2H) ppm.

Example 1-1N-cyclopropyl-4-{8-[(2-hydroxy-2-methylpropyl)amino]-6-(propylsulfanyl)imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl}-2-methylbenzamide

To a solution of 80 mg (1.05 mmol) 1-propanethiol in 1.5 mL DMSO wereadded 50 mg (1.052 mmol) sodium hydride and the mixture was stirred for2 h at rt. 100 mg (0.21 mmol)4-{6-bromo-8-[(2-hydroxy-2-methylpropyl)amino]imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl}-N-cyclopropyl-2-methylbenzamidewere added and the mixture was heated at 120° C. for 2 h. The mixturewas filtered and purified by HPLC.

The following compound examples were prepared analogously to theprocedure described above using the appropriate thiol derivative and theappropriate Br-intermediate 6 [LC-MS data such as retention time (RT inmin) or observed mass peak were collected using LC-MS Method A unlessexplicitly stated]:

Example Structure Name Analytical Data 1-1

N-cyclopropyl-4-{8-[(2- hydroxy-2-methylpropyl)amino]-6-(propylsulfanyl)imidazo [1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl}-2- methylbenzamideRT = 1.19 MW_(found) = 454.6 MW_(calc) = 453.6 1-2

N-cyclopropyl-4-{8-[(2- methylpropyl)amino]-6-(methylsulfanyl)imidazo[1,2-a] pyrazin-3-yl}benzamide RT = 1.30MW_(found) = 396.5 MW_(calc) = 395.5 ¹H-NMR (300 MHz, d6-DMSO): δ = 8.51(1H, d), 7.94 (2H, d), 7.80 (1H, t), 7.71 (3H, m), 7.44 (1H, s), 3.68(2H, m), 3.26 (2H, m), 2.85 (1H, m), 2.42 (3H, s), 2.00 (1H, m), 0.88(6H, d), 0.68 (2H, m), 0.56 (2H, m) ppm 1-3

N-cyclopropyl-2-methyl-4- {6-(methylsulfanyl)-8-[(3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)amino] imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl} benzamide RT = 1.26MW_(found) = 450.5 MW_(calc) = 449.5 1-4

N-cyclopropyl-4-{8-[(2- hydroxy-2-methylpropyl)amino]-6-(methylsulfanyl)imidazo [1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl}-2- methylbenzamide RT =1.09 MW_(found) = 426.5 MW_(calc) = 425.5

Further, the compounds of formula (I) of the present invention can beconverted to any salt as described herein, by any method which is knownto the person skilled in the art. Similarly, any salt of a compound offormula (I) of the present invention can be converted into the freecompound, by any method which is known to the person skilled in the art.

Pharmaceutical Compositions of the Compounds of the Invention

This invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions containingone or more compounds of the present invention. These compositions canbe utilised to achieve the desired pharmacological effect byadministration to a patient in need thereof. A patient, for the purposeof this invention, is a mammal, including a human, in need of treatmentfor the particular condition or disease. Therefore, the presentinvention includes pharmaceutical compositions that are comprised of apharmaceutically acceptable carrier and a pharmaceutically effectiveamount of a compound, or salt thereof, of the present invention. Apharmaceutically acceptable carrier is preferably a carrier that isrelatively non-toxic and innocuous to a patient at concentrationsconsistent with effective activity of the active ingredient so that anyside effects ascribable to the carrier do not vitiate the beneficialeffects of the active ingredient. A pharmaceutically effective amount ofcompound is preferably that amount which produces a result or exerts aninfluence on the particular condition being treated. The compounds ofthe present invention can be administered withpharmaceutically-acceptable carriers well known in the art using anyeffective conventional dosage unit forms, including immediate, slow andtimed release preparations, orally, parenterally, topically, nasally,ophthalmically, optically, sublingually, rectally, vaginally, and thelike.

For oral administration, the compounds can be formulated into solid orliquid preparations such as capsules, pills, tablets, troches, lozenges,melts, powders, solutions, suspensions, or emulsions, and may beprepared according to methods known to the art for the manufacture ofpharmaceutical compositions. The solid unit dosage forms can be acapsule that can be of the ordinary hard- or soft-shelled gelatine typecontaining, for example, surfactants, lubricants, and inert fillers suchas lactose, sucrose, calcium phosphate, and corn starch.

In another embodiment, the compounds of this invention may be tabletedwith conventional tablet bases such as lactose, sucrose and cornstarchin combination with binders such as acacia, corn starch or gelatine,disintegrating agents intended to assist the break-up and dissolution ofthe tablet following administration such as potato starch, alginic acid,corn starch, and guar gum, gum tragacanth, acacia, lubricants intendedto improve the flow of tablet granulation and to prevent the adhesion oftablet material to the surfaces of the tablet dies and punches, forexample talc, stearic acid, or magnesium, calcium or zinc stearate,dyes, colouring agents, and flavouring agents such as peppermint, oil ofwintergreen, or cherry flavouring, intended to enhance the aestheticqualities of the tablets and make them more acceptable to the patient.Suitable excipients for use in oral liquid dosage forms includedicalcium phosphate and diluents such as water and alcohols, forexample, ethanol, benzyl alcohol, and polyethylene alcohols, either withor without the addition of a pharmaceutically acceptable surfactant,suspending agent or emulsifying agent. Various other materials may bepresent as coatings or to otherwise modify the physical form of thedosage unit. For instance tablets, pills or capsules may be coated withshellac, sugar or both.

Dispersible powders and granules are suitable for the preparation of anaqueous suspension. They provide the active ingredient in admixture witha dispersing or wetting agent, a suspending agent and one or morepreservatives. Suitable dispersing or wetting agents and suspendingagents are exemplified by those already mentioned above. Additionalexcipients, for example those sweetening, flavouring and colouringagents described above, may also be present.

The pharmaceutical compositions of this invention may also be in theform of oil-in-water emulsions. The oily phase may be a vegetable oilsuch as liquid paraffin or a mixture of vegetable oils. Suitableemulsifying agents may be (1) naturally occurring gums such as gumacacia and gum tragacanth, (2) naturally occurring phosphatides such assoy bean and lecithin, (3) esters or partial esters derived form fattyacids and hexitol anhydrides, for example, sorbitan monooleate, (4)condensation products of said partial esters with ethylene oxide, forexample, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate. The emulsions may alsocontain sweetening and flavouring agents.

Oily suspensions may be formulated by suspending the active ingredientin a vegetable oil such as, for example, arachis oil, olive oil, sesameoil or coconut oil, or in a mineral oil such as liquid paraffin. Theoily suspensions may contain a thickening agent such as, for example,beeswax, hard paraffin, or cetyl alcohol. The suspensions may alsocontain one or more preservatives, for example, ethyl or n-propylp-hydroxybenzoate; one or more colouring agents; one or more flavouringagents; and one or more sweetening agents such as sucrose or saccharin.

Syrups and elixirs may be formulated with sweetening agents such as, forexample, glycerol, propylene glycol, sorbitol or sucrose. Suchformulations may also contain a demulcent, and preservative, such asmethyl and propyl parabens and flavouring and colouring agents.

The compounds of this invention may also be administered parenterally,that is, subcutaneously, intravenously, intraocularly, intrasynovially,intramuscularly, or interperitoneally, as injectable dosages of thecompound in preferably a physiologically acceptable diluent with apharmaceutical carrier which can be a sterile liquid or mixture ofliquids such as water, saline, aqueous dextrose and related sugarsolutions, an alcohol such as ethanol, isopropanol, or hexadecylalcohol, glycols such as propylene glycol or polyethylene glycol,glycerol ketals such as 2,2-dimethyl-1,1-dioxolane-4-methanol, etherssuch as poly(ethylene glycol) 400, an oil, a fatty acid, a fatty acidester or, a fatty acid glyceride, or an acetylated fatty acid glyceride,with or without the addition of a pharmaceutically acceptable surfactantsuch as a soap or a detergent, suspending agent such as pectin,carbomers, methycellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, orcarboxymethylcellulose, or emulsifying agent and other pharmaceuticaladjuvants.

Illustrative of oils which can be used in the parenteral formulations ofthis invention are those of petroleum, animal, vegetable, or syntheticorigin, for example, peanut oil, soybean oil, sesame oil, cottonseedoil, corn oil, olive oil, petrolatum and mineral oil. Suitable fattyacids include oleic acid, stearic acid, isostearic acid and myristicacid. Suitable fatty acid esters are, for example, ethyl oleate andisopropyl myristate. Suitable soaps include fatty acid alkali metal,ammonium, and triethanolamine salts and suitable detergents includecationic detergents, for example dimethyl dialkyl ammonium halides,alkyl pyridinium halides, and alkylamine acetates; anionic detergents,for example, alkyl, aryl, and olefin sulfonates, alkyl, olefin, ether,and monoglyceride sulfates, and sulfosuccinates; non-ionic detergents,for example, fatty amine oxides, fatty acid alkanolamides, andpoly(oxyethylene-oxypropylene)s or ethylene oxide or propylene oxidecopolymers; and amphoteric detergents, for example,alkyl-beta-aminopropionates, and 2-alkylimidazoline quarternary ammoniumsalts, as well as mixtures.

The parenteral compositions of this invention will typically containfrom about 0.5% to about 25% by weight of the active ingredient insolution. Preservatives and buffers may also be used advantageously. Inorder to minimise or eliminate irritation at the site of injection, suchcompositions may contain a non-ionic surfactant having ahydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) preferably of from about 12 to about17. The quantity of surfactant in such formulation preferably rangesfrom about 5% to about 15% by weight. The surfactant can be a singlecomponent having the above HLB or can be a mixture of two or morecomponents having the desired HLB.

Illustrative of surfactants used in parenteral formulations are theclass of polyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, for example, sorbitanmonooleate and the high molecular weight adducts of ethylene oxide witha hydrophobic base, formed by the condensation of propylene oxide withpropylene glycol.

The pharmaceutical compositions may be in the form of sterile injectableaqueous suspensions. Such suspensions may be formulated according toknown methods using suitable dispersing or wetting agents and suspendingagents such as, for example, sodium carboxymethylcellulose,methylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl-cellulose, sodium alginate,polyvinylpyrrolidone, gum tragacanth and gum acacia; dispersing orwetting agents which may be a naturally occurring phosphatide such aslecithin, a condensation product of an alkylene oxide with a fatty acid,for example, polyoxyethylene stearate, a condensation product ofethylene oxide with a long chain aliphatic alcohol, for example,heptadeca-ethyleneoxycetanol, a condensation product of ethylene oxidewith a partial ester derived form a fatty acid and a hexitol such aspolyoxyethylene sorbitol monooleate, or a condensation product of anethylene oxide with a partial ester derived from a fatty acid and ahexitol anhydride, for example polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate.

The sterile injectable preparation may also be a sterile injectablesolution or suspension in a non-toxic parenterally acceptable diluent orsolvent. Diluents and solvents that may be employed are, for example,water, Ringer's solution, isotonic sodium chloride solutions andisotonic glucose solutions. In addition, sterile fixed oils areconventionally employed as solvents or suspending media. For thispurpose, any bland, fixed oil may be employed including synthetic mono-or diglycerides. In addition, fatty acids such as oleic acid can be usedin the preparation of injectables.

A composition of the invention may also be administered in the form ofsuppositories for rectal administration of the drug. These compositionscan be prepared by mixing the drug with a suitable non-irritationexcipient which is solid at ordinary temperatures but liquid at therectal temperature and will therefore melt in the rectum to release thedrug. Such materials are, for example, cocoa butter and polyethyleneglycol.

Another formulation employed in the methods of the present inventionemploys transdermal delivery devices (“patches”). Such transdermalpatches may be used to provide continuous or discontinuous infusion ofthe compounds of the present invention in controlled amounts. Theconstruction and use of transdermal patches for the delivery ofpharmaceutical agents is well known in the art (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No.5,023,252, issued Jun. 11, 1991, incorporated herein by reference). Suchpatches may be constructed for continuous, pulsatile, or on demanddelivery of pharmaceutical agents.

Controlled release formulations for parenteral administration includeliposomal, polymeric microsphere and polymeric gel formulations that areknown in the art.

It may be desirable or necessary to introduce the pharmaceuticalcomposition to the patient via a mechanical delivery device. Theconstruction and use of mechanical delivery devices for the delivery ofpharmaceutical agents is well known in the art. Direct techniques for,for example, administering a drug directly to the brain usually involveplacement of a drug delivery catheter into the patient's ventricularsystem to bypass the blood-brain barrier. One such implantable deliverysystem, used for the transport of agents to specific anatomical regionsof the body, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,472, issued Apr. 30,1991.

The compositions of the invention can also contain other conventionalpharmaceutically acceptable compounding ingredients, generally referredto as carriers or diluents, as necessary or desired. Conventionalprocedures for preparing such compositions in appropriate dosage formscan be utilized. Such ingredients and procedures include those describedin the following references, each of which is incorporated herein byreference: Powell, M. F. et al., “Compendium of Excipients forParenteral Formulations” PDA Journal of Pharmaceutical Science EtTechnology 1998, 52(5), 238-311; Strickley, R. G “ParenteralFormulations of Small Molecule Therapeutics Marketed in the UnitedStates (1999)—Part-1” PDA Journal of Pharmaceutical Science EtTechnology 1999, 53(6), 324-349; and Nema, S. et al., “Excipients andTheir Use in Injectable Products” PDA Journal of Pharmaceutical ScienceEt Technology 1997, 51(4), 166-171.

Commonly used pharmaceutical ingredients that can be used as appropriateto formulate the composition for its intended route of administrationinclude:

acidifying agents (examples include but are not limited to acetic acid,citric acid, fumaric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid);

alkalinizing agents (examples include but are not limited to ammoniasolution, ammonium carbonate, diethanolamine, monoethanolamine,potassium hydroxide, sodium borate, sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide,triethanolamine, trolamine);

adsorbents (examples include but are not limited to powdered celluloseand activated charcoal);

aerosol propellants (examples include but are not limited to carbondioxide, CCl₂F₂, F₂ClC—CClF₂ and CClF₃)

air displacement agents (examples include but are not limited tonitrogen and argon);

antifungal preservatives (examples include but are not limited tobenzoic acid, butylparaben, ethylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben,sodium benzoate);

antimicrobial preservatives (examples include but are not limited tobenzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, benzyl alcohol,cetylpyridinium chloride, chlorobutanol, phenol, phenylethyl alcohol,phenylmercuric nitrate and thimerosal);

antioxidants (examples include but are not limited to ascorbic acid,ascorbyl palmitate, butylated hydroxyanisole, butylated hydroxytoluene,hypophosphorus acid, monothioglycerol, propyl gallate, sodium ascorbate,sodium bisulfite, sodium formaldehyde sulfoxylate, sodiummetabisulfite);

binding materials (examples include but are not limited to blockpolymers, natural and synthetic rubber, polyacrylates, polyurethanes,silicones, polysiloxanes and styrene-butadiene copolymers);

buffering agents (examples include but are not limited to potassiummetaphosphate, dipotassium phosphate, sodium acetate, sodium citrateanhydrous and sodium citrate dihydrate)

carrying agents (examples include but are not limited to acacia syrup,aromatic syrup, aromatic elixir, cherry syrup, cocoa syrup, orangesyrup, syrup, corn oil, mineral oil, peanut oil, sesame oil,bacteriostatic sodium chloride injection and bacteriostatic water forinjection)

chelating agents (examples include but are not limited to edetatedisodium and edetic acid)

colourants (examples include but are not limited to FD&C Red No. 3, FD&CRed No. 20, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Blue No. 2, D&C Green No. 5, D&COrange No. 5, D&C Red No. 8, caramel and ferric oxide red);

clarifying agents (examples include but are not limited to bentonite);

emulsifying agents (examples include but are not limited to acacia,cetomacrogol, cetyl alcohol, glyceryl monostearate, lecithin, sorbitanmonooleate, polyoxyethylene 50 monostearate);

encapsulating agents (examples include but are not limited to gelatinand cellulose acetate phthalate)

flavourants (examples include but are not limited to anise oil, cinnamonoil, cocoa, menthol, orange oil, peppermint oil and vanillin);

humectants (examples include but are not limited to glycerol, propyleneglycol and sorbitol);

levigating agents (examples include but are not limited to mineral oiland glycerin);

oils (examples include but are not limited to arachis oil, mineral oil,olive oil, peanut oil, sesame oil and vegetable oil);

ointment bases (examples include but are not limited to lanolin,hydrophilic ointment, polyethylene glycol ointment, petrolatum,hydrophilic petrolatum, white ointment, yellow ointment, and rose waterointment);

penetration enhancers (transdermal delivery) (examples include but arenot limited to monohydroxy or polyhydroxy alcohols, mono- or polyvalentalcohols, saturated or unsaturated fatty alcohols, saturated orunsaturated fatty esters, saturated or unsaturated dicarboxylic acids,essential oils, phosphatidyl derivatives, cephalin, terpenes, amides,ethers, ketones and ureas)

plasticizers (examples include but are not limited to diethyl phthalateand glycerol);

solvents (examples include but are not limited to ethanol, corn oil,cottonseed oil, glycerol, isopropanol, mineral oil, oleic acid, peanutoil, purified water, water for injection, sterile water for injectionand sterile water for irrigation);

stiffening agents (examples include but are not limited to cetylalcohol, cetyl esters wax, microcrystalline wax, paraffin, stearylalcohol, white wax and yellow

suppository bases (examples include but are not limited to cocoa butterand polyethylene glycols (mixtures));

surfactants (examples include but are not limited to benzalkoniumchloride, nonoxynol 10, oxtoxynol 9, polysorbate 80, sodium laurylsulfate and sorbitan mono-palmitate);

suspending agents (examples include but are not limited to agar,bentonite, carbomers, carboxymethylcellulose sodium, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose,kaolin, methylcellulose, tragacanth and veegum);

sweetening agents (examples include but are not limited to aspartame,dextrose, glycerol, mannitol, propylene glycol, saccharin sodium,sorbitol and sucrose);

tablet anti-adherents (examples include but are not limited to magnesiumstearate and talc);

tablet binders (examples include but are not limited to acacia, alginicacid, carboxymethylcellulose sodium, compressible sugar, ethylcellulose,gelatin, liquid glucose, methylcellulose, non-crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone, and pregelatinized starch);

tablet and capsule diluents (examples include but are not limited todibasic calcium phosphate, kaolin, lactose, mannitol, microcrystallinecellulose, powdered cellulose, precipitated calcium carbonate, sodiumcarbonate, sodium phosphate, sorbitol and starch);

tablet coating agents (examples include but are not limited to liquidglucose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, cellulose acetatephthalate and shellac);

tablet direct compression excipients (examples include but are notlimited to dibasic calcium phosphate);

tablet disintegrants (examples include but are not limited to alginicacid, carboxymethylcellulose calcium, microcrystalline cellulose,polacrillin potassium, cross-linked polyvinylpyrrolidone, sodiumalginate, sodium starch glycollate and starch);

tablet glidants (examples include but are not limited to colloidalsilica, corn starch and talc);

tablet lubricants (examples include but are not limited to calciumstearate, magnesium stearate, mineral oil, stearic acid and zincstearate);

tablet/capsule opaquants (examples include but are not limited totitanium dioxide);

tablet polishing agents (examples include but are not limited to carnubawax and white wax);

thickening agents (examples include but are not limited to beeswax,cetyl alcohol and paraffin);

tonicity agents (examples include but are not limited to dextrose andsodium chloride);

viscosity increasing agents (examples include but are not limited toalginic acid, bentonite, carbomers, carboxymethylcellulose sodium,methylcellulose, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, sodium alginate and tragacanth);and

wetting agents (examples include but are not limited toheptadecaethylene oxycetanol, lecithins, sorbitol monooleate,polyoxyethylene sorbitol monooleate, and polyoxyethylene stearate).

Pharmaceutical compositions according to the present invention can beillustrated as follows:

Sterile IV Solution:

A 5 mg/mL solution of the desired compound of this invention can be madeusing sterile, injectable water, and the pH is adjusted if necessary.The solution is diluted for administration to 1-2 mg/mL with sterile 5%dextrose and is administered as an IV infusion over about 60 minutes.

Lyophilised Powder for IV Administration:

A sterile preparation can be prepared with (i) 100-1000 mg of thedesired compound of this invention as a lyophilised powder, (ii) 32-327mg/mL sodium citrate, and (iii) 300-3000 mg Dextran 40. The formulationis reconstituted with sterile, injectable saline or dextrose 5% to aconcentration of 10 to 20 mg/mL, which is further diluted with saline ordextrose 5% to 0.2-0.4 mg/mL, and is administered either IV bolus or byIV infusion over 15-60 minutes.

Intramuscular Suspension:

The following solution or suspension can be prepared, for intramuscularinjection:

50 mg/mL of the desired, water-insoluble compound of this invention

5 mg/mL sodium carboxymethylcellulose

4 mg/mL TWEEN 80

9 mg/mL sodium chloride

9 mg/mL benzyl alcohol

Hard Shell Capsules:

A large number of unit capsules are prepared by filling standardtwo-piece hard galantine capsules each with 100 mg of powdered activeingredient, 150 mg of lactose, 50 mg of cellulose and 6 mg of magnesiumstearate.

Soft Gelatin Capsules:

A mixture of active ingredient in a digestible oil such as soybean oil,cottonseed oil or olive oil is prepared and injected by means of apositive displacement pump into molten gelatin to form soft gelatincapsules containing 100 mg of the active ingredient. The capsules arewashed and dried. The active ingredient can be dissolved in a mixture ofpolyethylene glycol, glycerin and sorbitol to prepare a water misciblemedicine mix.

Tablets:

A large number of tablets are prepared by conventional procedures sothat the dosage unit is 100 mg of active ingredient, 0.2 mg. ofcolloidal silicon dioxide, 5 mg of magnesium stearate, 275 mg ofmicrocrystalline cellulose, 11 mg. of starch, and 98.8 mg of lactose.Appropriate aqueous and non-aqueous coatings may be applied to increasepalatability, improve elegance and stability or delay absorption.

Immediate Release Tablets/Capsules:

These are solid oral dosage forms made by conventional and novelprocesses. These units are taken orally without water for immediatedissolution and delivery of the medication. The active ingredient ismixed in a liquid containing ingredient such as sugar, gelatin, pectinand sweeteners. These liquids are solidified into solid tablets orcaplets by freeze drying and solid state extraction techniques. The drugcompounds may be compressed with viscoelastic and thermoelastic sugarsand polymers or effervescent components to produce porous matricesintended for immediate release, without the need of water.

Combination Therapies

The compounds of this invention can be administered as the solepharmaceutical agent or in combination with one or more otherpharmaceutical agents where the combination causes no unacceptableadverse effects. The present invention relates also to suchcombinations. For example, the compounds of this invention can becombined with known anti-hyper-proliferative or other indication agents,and the like, as well as with admixtures and combinations thereof. Otherindication agents include, but are not limited to, anti-angiogenicagents, mitotic inhibitors, alkylating agents, anti-metabolites,DNA-intercalating antibiotics, growth factor inhibitors, cell cycleinhibitors, enzyme inhibitors, toposisomerase inhibitors, biologicalresponse modifiers, or anti-hormones.

The additional pharmaceutical agent can be afinitor, aldesleukin,alendronic acid, alfaferone, alitretinoin, allopurinol, aloprim, aloxi,altretamine, aminoglutethimide, amifostine, amrubicin, amsacrine,anastrozole, anzmet, aranesp, arglabin, arsenic trioxide, aronnasin,5-azacytidine, azathioprine, BAY 80-6946, BCG or tice BCG, bestatin,betamethasone acetate, betamethasone sodium phosphate, bexarotene,bleomycin sulfate, broxuridine, bortezomib, busulfan, calcitonin,campath, capecitabine, carboplatin, casodex, cefesone, celmoleukin,cerubidine, chlorambucil, cisplatin, cladribine, cladribine, clodronicacid, cyclophosphamide, cytarabine, dacarbazine, dactinomycin,DaunoXome, decadron, decadron phosphate, delestrogen, denileukindiftitox, depo-medrol, deslorelin, dexrazoxane, diethylstilbestrol,diflucan, docetaxel, doxifluridine, doxorubicin, dronabinol, DW-166HC,eligard, elitek, ellence, emend, epirubicin, epoetin alfa, epogen,eptaplatin, ergamisol, estrace, estradiol, estramustine phosphatesodium, ethinyl estradiol, ethyol, etidronic acid, etopophos, etoposide,fadrozole, farston, filgrastim, finasteride, fligrastim, floxuridine,fluconazole, fludarabine, 5-fluorodeoxyuridine monophosphate,5-fluorouracil (5-FU), fluoxymesterone, flutamide, formestane,fosteabine, fotennustine, fulvestrant, gammagard, gemcitabine,gemtuzumab, gleevec, gliadel, goserelin, granisetron HCl, histrelin,hycamtin, hydrocortone, eyrthro-hydroxponyladenine, hydroxyurea,ibritumomab tiuxetan, idarubicin, ifosfamide, interferon alpha,interferon-alpha 2, interferon alfa-2A, interferon alfa-2B, interferonalfa-n1, interferon alfa-n3, interferon beta, interferon gamma-1a,interleukin-2, intron A, iressa, irinotecan, kytril, lentinan sulfate,letrozole, leucovorin, leuprolide, leuprolide acetate, lapatinib,levamisole, levofolinic acid calcium salt, levothroid, levoxyl,lomustine, lonidamine, marinol, mechlorethamine, mecobalamin,medroxyprogesterone acetate, megestrol acetate, melphalan, menest,6-mercaptopurine, Mesna, methotrexate, metvix, miltefosine, minocycline,mitomycin C, mitotane, mitoxantrone, Modrenal, Myocet, nedaplatin,neulasta, neumega, neupogen, nilutamide, nolvadex, NSC-631570, OCT-43,octreotide, ondansetron HU, orapred, oxaliplatin, paclitaxel, pediapred,pegaspargase, Pegasys, pentostatin, picibanil, pilocarpine HCl,pirarubicin, plicamycin, porfimer sodium, prednimustine, prednisolone,prednisone, premarin, procarbazine, procrit, raltitrexed, RDEA 119,rebif, rhenium-186 etidronate, rituximab, roferon-A, romurtide, salagen,sandostatin, sargramostim, semustine, sizofiran, sobuzoxane,solu-medrol, sparfosic acid, stem-cell therapy, streptozocin,strontium-89 chloride, sunitinib, synthroid, tamoxifen, tamsulosin,tasonermin, tastolactone, taxotere, teceleukin, temozolomide,teniposide, testosterone propionate, testred, thioguanine, thiotepa,thyrotropin, tiludronic acid, topotecan, toremifene, tositumomab,trastuzumab, treosulfan, tretinoin, trexall, trimethylmelamine,trimetrexate, triptorelin acetate, triptorelin pamoate, UFT, uridine,valrubicin, vesnarinone, vinblastine, vincristine, vindesine,vinorelbine, virulizin, zinecard, zinostatin stimalamer, zofran,ABI-007, acolbifene, actimmune, affinitak, aminopterin, arzoxifene,asoprisnil, atamestane, atrasentan, sorafenib (BAY 43-9006), avastin,CCI-779, CDC-501, celebrex, cetuximab, crisnatol, cyproterone acetate,decitabine, DN-101, doxorubicin-MTC, dSLIM, dutasteride, edotecarin,eflornithine, exatecan, fenretinide, histamine dihydrochloride,histrelin hydrogel implant, holmium-166 DOTMP, ibandronic acid,interferon gamma, intron-PEG, lone, keyhole limpet hemocyanin, L-651582,lanreotide, lasofoxifene, libra, lonafarnib, miproxifene, minodronate,MS-209, liposomal MTP-PE, MX-6, nafarelin, nemorubicin, neovastat,nolatrexed, oblimersen, onco-TCS, osidem, paclitaxel polyglutamate,pamidronate disodium, PN-401, QS-21, quazepam, R-1549, raloxifene,ranpirnase, 13-cis-retinoic acid, satraplatin, seocalcitol, T-138067,tarceva, taxoprexin, thymosin alpha 1, tiazofurine, tipifarnib,tirapazamine, TLK-286, toremifene, TransMID-107R, valspodar, vapreotide,vatalanib, verteporfin, vinflunine, Z-100, zoledronic acid orcombinations thereof.

Optional anti-hyper-proliferative agents which can be added to thecomposition include but are not limited to compounds listed on thecancer chemotherapy drug regimens in the 11^(th) Edition of the MerckIndex, (1996), which is hereby incorporated by reference, such asasparaginase, bleomycin, carboplatin, carmustine, chlorambucil,cisplatin, colaspase, cyclophosphamide, cytarabine, dacarbazine,dactinomycin, daunorubicin, doxorubicin (adriamycine), epirubicin,epothilone, an epothilone derivative, etoposide, 5-fluorouracil,hexamethylmelamine, hydroxyurea, ifosfamide, irinotecan, leucovorin,lomustine, mechlorethamine, 6-mercaptopurine, mesna, methotrexate,mitomycin C, mitoxantrone, prednisolone, prednisone, procarbazine,raloxifen, streptozocin, tamoxifen, thioguanine, topotecan, vinblastine,vincristine, and vindesine.

Other anti-hyper-proliferative agents suitable for use with thecomposition of the invention include but are not limited to thosecompounds acknowledged to be used in the treatment of neoplasticdiseases in Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis ofTherapeutics (Ninth Edition), editor Molinoff et al., publ. byMcGraw-Hill, pages 1225-1287, (1996), which is hereby incorporated byreference, such as aminoglutethimide, L-asparaginase, azathioprine,5-azacytidine cladribine, busulfan, diethylstilbestrol,2′,2′-difluorodeoxycytidine, docetaxel, erythrohydroxynonyl adenine,ethinyl estradiol, 5-fluorodeoxyuridine, 5-fluorodeoxyuridinemonophosphate, fludarabine phosphate, fluoxymesterone, flutamide,hydroxyprogesterone caproate, idarubicin, interferon,medroxyprogesterone acetate, megestrol acetate, melphalan, mitotane,paclitaxel, pentostatin, N-phosphonoacetyl-L-aspartate (PALA),plicamycin, semustine, teniposide, testosterone propionate, thiotepa,trimethylmelamine, uridine, and vinorelbine.

Other anti-hyper-proliferative agents suitable for use with thecomposition of the invention include but are not limited to otheranti-cancer agents such as epothilone and its derivatives, irinotecan,raloxifen and topotecan.

The compounds of the invention may also be administered in combinationwith protein therapeutics. Such protein therapeutics suitable for thetreatment of cancer or other angiogenic disorders and for use with thecompositions of the invention include, but are not limited to, aninterferon (e.g., interferon .alpha., .beta., or .gamma.) supraagonisticmonoclonal antibodies, Tuebingen, TRP-1 protein vaccine, Colostrinin,anti-FAP antibody, YH-16, gemtuzumab, infliximab, cetuximab,trastuzumab, denileukin diftitox, rituximab, thymosin alpha 1,bevacizumab, mecasermin, mecasermin rinfabate, oprelvekin, natalizumab,rhMBL, MFE-CP1+ZD-2767-P, ABT-828, ErbB2-specific immunotoxin, SGN-35,MT-103, rinfabate, AS-1402, B43-genistein, L-19 basedradioimmunotherapeutics, AC-9301, NY-ESO-1 vaccine, IMC-1C11, CT-322,rhCC10, r(m)CRP, MORAb-009, aviscumine, MDX-1307, Her-2 vaccine,APC-8024, NGR-hTNF, rhH1.3, IGN-311, Endostatin, volociximab, PRO-1762,lexatumumab, SGN-40, pertuzumab, EMD-273063, L19-IL-2 fusion protein,PRX-321, CNTO-328, MDX-214, tigapotide, CAT-3888, labetuzumab,alpha-particle-emitting radioisotope-Kinked lintuzumab, EM-1421,HyperAcute vaccine, tucotuzumab celmoleukin, galiximab, HPV-16-E7,Javelin—prostate cancer, Javelin—melanoma, NY-ESO-1 vaccine, EGFvaccine, CYT-004-MelQbG10, WT1 peptide, oregovomab, ofatumumab,zalutumumab, cintredekin besudotox, WX-G250, Albuferon, aflibercept,denosumab, vaccine, CTP-37, efungumab, or 131I-chTNT-1/B. Monoclonalantibodies useful as the protein therapeutic include, but are notlimited to, muromonab-CD3, abciximab, edrecolomab, daclizumab,gentuzumab, alemtuzumab, ibritumomab, cetuximab, bevicizumab,efalizumab, adalimumab, omalizumab, muromomab-CD3, rituximab,daclizumab, trastuzumab, palivizumab, basiliximab, and infliximab.

The compounds of the invention may also be combined with biologicaltherapeutic agents, such as antibodies (e.g. avastin, rituxan, erbitux,herceptin), or recombinant proteins.

The compounds of the invention may also be in combination withantiangiogenesis agents, such as, for example, with avastin, axitinib,DAST, recentin, sorafenib or sunitinib. Combinations with inhibitors ofproteasomes or mTOR inhibitors, or anti-hormones or steroidal metabolicenzyme inhibitors are also possible.

Generally, the use of cytotoxic and/or cytostatic agents in combinationwith a compound or composition of the present invention will serve to:

(1) yield better efficacy in reducing the growth of a tumour or eveneliminate the tumour as compared to administration of either agentalone,

(2) provide for the administration of lesser amounts of the administeredchemo-therapeutic agents,

(3) provide for a chemotherapeutic treatment that is well tolerated inthe patient with fewer deleterious pharmacological complications thanobserved with single agent chemotherapies and certain other combinedtherapies,

(4) provide for treating a broader spectrum of different cancer types inmammals, especially humans,

(5) provide for a higher response rate among treated patients,

(6) provide for a longer survival time among treated patients comparedto standard chemotherapy treatments,

(7) provide a longer time for tumour progression, and/or

(8) yield efficacy and tolerability results at least as good as those ofthe agents used alone, compared to known instances where other canceragent combinations produce antagonistic effects.

Methods of Sensitizing Cells to Radiation

In a distinct embodiment of the present invention, a compound of thepresent invention may be used to sensitize a cell to radiation. That is,treatment of a cell with a compound of the present invention prior toradiation treatment of the cell renders the cell more susceptible to DNAdamage and cell death than the cell would be in the absence of anytreatment with a compound of the invention. In one aspect, the cell istreated with at least one compound of the invention.

Thus, the present invention also provides a method of killing a cell,wherein a cell is administered one or more compounds of the invention incombination with conventional radiation therapy.

The present invention also provides a method of rendering a cell moresusceptible to cell death, wherein the cell is treated one or morecompounds of the invention prior to the treatment of the cell to causeor induce cell death. In one aspect, after the cell is treated with oneor more compounds of the invention, the cell is treated with at leastone compound, or at least one method, or a combination thereof, in orderto cause DNA damage for the purpose of inhibiting the function of thenormal cell or killing the cell.

In one embodiment, a cell is killed by treating the cell with at leastone DNA damaging agent. That is, after treating a cell with one or morecompounds of the invention to sensitize the cell to cell death, the cellis treated with at least one DNA damaging agent to kill the cell. DNAdamaging agents useful in the present invention include, but are notlimited to, chemotherapeutic agents (e.g., cisplatinum), ionizingradiation (X-rays, ultraviolet radiation), carcinogenic agents, andmutagenic agents.

In another embodiment, a cell is killed by treating the cell with atleast one method to cause or induce DNA damage. Such methods include,but are not limited to, activation of a cell signalling pathway thatresults in DNA damage when the pathway is activated, inhibiting of acell signalling pathway that results in DNA damage when the pathway isinhibited, and inducing a biochemical change in a cell, wherein thechange results in DNA damage. By way of a non-limiting example, a DNArepair pathway in a cell can be inhibited, thereby preventing the repairof DNA damage and resulting in an abnormal accumulation of DNA damage ina cell.

In one aspect of the invention, a compound of the invention isadministered to a cell prior to the radiation or other induction of DNAdamage in the cell. In another aspect of the invention, a compound ofthe invention is administered to a cell concomitantly with the radiationor other induction of DNA damage in the cell. In yet another aspect ofthe invention, a compound of the invention is administered to a cellimmediately after radiation or other induction of DNA damage in the cellhas begun.

In another aspect, the cell is in vitro. In another embodiment, the cellis in vivo.

As mentioned supra, the compounds of the present invention havesurprisingly been found to effectively inhibit Mps-1 and may thereforebe used for the treatment or prophylaxis of diseases of uncontrolledcell growth, hyperproliferation, inappropriate cellular immuneresponses, or inappropriate cellular inflammatory responses, or diseaseswhich are accompanied with uncontrolled cell growth, hyperproliferation,inappropriate cellular immune responses, or inappropriate cellularinflammatory responses, particularly in which the uncontrolled cellgrowth, hyperproliferation, inappropriate cellular immune responses, orinappropriate cellular inflammatory responses is mediated by Mps-1, suchas, for example, haematological tumours, solid tumours, and/ormetastases thereof, e.g. leukaemias and myelodysplastic syndrome,malignant lymphomas, head and neck tumours including brain tumours andbrain metastases, tumours of the thorax including non-small cell andsmall cell lung tumours, gastrointestinal tumours, endocrine tumours,mammary and other gynaecological tumours, urological tumours includingrenal, bladder and prostate tumours, skin tumours, and sarcomas, and/ormetastases thereof.

In accordance with another aspect therefore, the present inventioncovers a compound of general formula (I), or a stereoisomer, a tautomer,an N-oxide, a hydrate, a solvate, or a salt thereof, particularly apharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a mixture of same, asdescribed and defined herein, for use in the treatment or prophylaxis ofa disease, as mentioned supra.

Another particular aspect of the present invention is therefore the useof a compound of general formula (I), described supra, or astereoisomer, a tautomer, an N-oxide, a hydrate, a solvate, or a saltthereof, particularly a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or amixture of same, for the prophylaxis or treatment of a disease.

Another particular aspect of the present invention is therefore the useof a compound of general formula (I) described supra for manufacturing apharmaceutical composition for the treatment or prophylaxis of adisease.

The diseases referred to in the two preceding paragraphs are diseases ofuncontrolled cell growth, hyperproliferation, inappropriate cellularimmune responses, or inappropriate cellular inflammatory responses, ordiseases which are accompanied with uncontrolled cell growth,hyperproliferation, inappropriate cellular immune responses, orinappropriate cellular inflammatory responses, particularly in which theuncontrolled cell growth, hyperproliferation, inappropriate cellularimmune responses, or inappropriate cellular inflammatory responses ismediated by Mps-1, such as, for example, haematological tumours, solidtumours, and/or metastases thereof, e.g. leukaemias and myelodysplasticsyndrome, malignant lymphomas, head and neck tumours including braintumours and brain metastases, tumours of the thorax including non-smallcell and small cell lung tumours, gastrointestinal tumours, endocrinetumours, mammary and other gynaecological tumours, urological tumoursincluding renal, bladder and prostate tumours, skin tumours, andsarcomas, and/or metastases thereof.

The term “inappropriate” within the context of the present invention, inparticular in the context of “inappropriate cellular immune responses,or inappropriate cellular inflammatory responses”, as used herein, is tobe understood as preferably meaning a response which is less than, orgreater than normal, and which is associated with, responsible for, orresults in, the pathology of said diseases.

Preferably, the use is in the treatment or prophylaxis of diseases,wherein the diseases are haematological tumours, solid tumours and/ormetastases thereof.

Method of Treating Hyper-Proliferative Disorders

The present invention relates to a method for using the compounds of thepresent invention and compositions thereof, to treat mammalianhyper-proliferative disorders. Compounds can be utilized to inhibit,block, reduce, decrease, etc., cell proliferation and/or cell division,and/or produce apoptosis. This method comprises administering to amammal in need thereof, including a human, an amount of a compound ofthis invention, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, isomer,polymorph, metabolite, hydrate, solvate or ester thereof; etc. which iseffective to treat the disorder. Hyper-proliferative disorders includebut are not limited, e.g., psoriasis, keloids, and other hyperplasiasaffecting the skin, benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), solid tumours,such as cancers of the breast, respiratory tract, brain, reproductiveorgans, digestive tract, urinary tract, eye, liver, skin, head and neck,thyroid, parathyroid and their distant metastases. Those disorders alsoinclude lymphomas, sarcomas, and leukaemias.

Examples of breast cancer include, but are not limited to invasiveductal carcinoma, invasive lobular carcinoma, ductal carcinoma in situ,and lobular carcinoma in situ.

Examples of cancers of the respiratory tract include, but are notlimited to small-cell and non-small-cell lung carcinoma, as well asbronchial adenoma and pleuropulmonary blastoma.

Examples of brain cancers include, but are not limited to brain stem andhypophtalmic glioma, cerebellar and cerebral astrocytoma,medulloblastoma, ependymoma, as well as neuroectodermal and pinealtumour.

Tumours of the male reproductive organs include, but are not limited toprostate and testicular cancer. Tumours of the female reproductiveorgans include, but are not limited to endometrial, cervical, ovarian,vaginal, and vulvar cancer, as well as sarcoma of the uterus.

Tumours of the digestive tract include, but are not limited to anal,colon, colorectal, oesophageal, gallbladder, gastric, pancreatic,rectal, small-intestine, and salivary gland cancers.

Tumours of the urinary tract include, but are not limited to bladder,penile, kidney, renal pelvis, ureter, urethral and human papillary renalcancers.

Eye cancers include, but are not limited to intraocular melanoma andretinoblastoma.

Examples of liver cancers include, but are not limited to hepatocellularcarcinoma (liver cell carcinomas with or without fibrolamellar variant),cholangiocarcinoma (intrahepatic bile duct carcinoma), and mixedhepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma.

Skin cancers include, but are not limited to squamous cell carcinoma,Kaposi's sarcoma, malignant melanoma, Merkel cell skin cancer, andnon-melanoma skin cancer.

Head-and-neck cancers include, but are not limited to laryngeal,hypopharyngeal, nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal cancer, lip and oralcavity cancer and squamous cell. Lymphomas include, but are not limitedto AIDS-related lymphoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, cutaneous T-celllymphoma, Burkitt lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, and lymphoma of thecentral nervous system.

Sarcomas include, but are not limited to sarcoma of the soft tissue,osteosarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, lymphosarcoma, andrhabdomyosarcoma.

Leukemias include, but are not limited to acute myeloid leukemia, acutelymphoblastic leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, chronicmyelogenous leukemia, and hairy cell leukemia.

These disorders have been well characterized in humans, but also existwith a similar etiology in other mammals, and can be treated byadministering pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention.

The term “treating” or “treatment” as stated throughout this document isused conventionally, e.g., the management or care of a subject for thepurpose of combating, alleviating, reducing, relieving, improving thecondition of, etc., of a disease or disorder, such as a carcinoma.

Methods of Treating Disorders Mediated by Kinases

The present invention also provides methods for the treatment ofdisorders associated with aberrant mitogen extracellular kinaseactivity, including, but not limited to stroke, heart failure,hepatomegaly, cardiomegaly, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, cysticfibrosis, symptoms of xenograft rejections, septic shock or asthma.

Effective amounts of compounds of the present invention can be used totreat such disorders, including those diseases (e.g., cancer) mentionedin the Background section above. Nonetheless, such cancers and otherdiseases can be treated with compounds of the present invention,regardless of the mechanism of action and/or the relationship betweenthe kinase and the disorder.

The phrase “aberrant kinase activity” or “aberrant tyrosine kinaseactivity,” includes any abnormal expression or activity of the geneencoding the kinase or of the polypeptide it encodes. Examples of suchaberrant activity, include, but are not limited to, over-expression ofthe gene or polypeptide; gene amplification; mutations which produceconstitutively-active or hyperactive kinase activity; gene mutations,deletions, substitutions, additions, etc.

The present invention also provides for methods of inhibiting a kinaseactivity, especially of mitogen extracellular kinase, comprisingadministering an effective amount of a compound of the presentinvention, including salts, polymorphs, metabolites, hydrates, solvates,prodrugs (e.g.: esters) thereof, and diastereoisomeric forms thereof.Kinase activity can be inhibited in cells (e.g., in vitro), or in thecells of a mammalian subject, especially a human patient in need oftreatment.

Methods of Treating Angiogenic Disorders

The present invention also provides methods of treating disorders anddiseases associated with excessive and/or abnormal angiogenesis.

Inappropriate and ectopic expression of angiogenesis can be deleteriousto an organism. A number of pathological conditions are associated withthe growth of extraneous blood vessels. These include, e.g., diabeticretinopathy, ischemic retinal-vein occlusion, and retinopathy ofprematurity [Aiello et al. New Engl. J. Med. 1994, 331, 1480; Peer etal. Lab. Invest. 1995, 72, 638], age-related macular degeneration [AMD;see, Lopez et al. Invest. Opththalmol. Vis. Sci. 1996, 37, 855],neovascular glaucoma, psoriasis, retrolental fibroplasias, angiofibroma,inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), restenosis, in-stentrestenosis, vascular graft restenosis, etc. In addition, the increasedblood supply associated with cancerous and neoplastic tissue, encouragesgrowth, leading to rapid tumour enlargement and metastasis. Moreover,the growth of new blood and lymph vessels in a tumour provides an escaperoute for renegade cells, encouraging metastasis and the consequencespread of the cancer. Thus, compounds of the present invention can beutilized to treat and/or prevent any of the aforementioned angiogenesisdisorders, e.g., by inhibiting and/or reducing blood vessel formation;by inhibiting, blocking, reducing, decreasing, etc. endothelial cellproliferation or other types involved in angiogenesis, as well ascausing cell death or apoptosis of such cell types.

Dose and Administration

Based upon standard laboratory techniques known to evaluate compoundsuseful for the treatment of hyper-proliferative disorders and angiogenicdisorders, by standard toxicity tests and by standard pharmacologicalassays for the determination of treatment of the conditions identifiedabove in mammals, and by comparison of these results with the results ofknown medicaments that are used to treat these conditions, the effectivedosage of the compounds of this invention can readily be determined fortreatment of each desired indication. The amount of the activeingredient to be administered in the treatment of one of theseconditions can vary widely according to such considerations as theparticular compound and dosage unit employed, the mode ofadministration, the period of treatment, the age and sex of the patienttreated, and the nature and extent of the condition treated.

The total amount of the active ingredient to be administered willgenerally range from about 0.001 mg/kg to about 200 mg/kg body weightper day, and preferably from about 0.01 mg/kg to about 20 mg/kg bodyweight per day. Clinically useful dosing schedules will range from oneto three times a day dosing to once every four weeks dosing. Inaddition, “drug holidays” in which a patient is not dosed with a drugfor a certain period of time, may be beneficial to the overall balancebetween pharmacological effect and tolerability. A unit dosage maycontain from about 0.5 mg to about 1500 mg of active ingredient, and canbe administered one or more times per day or less than once a day. Theaverage daily dosage for administration by injection, includingintravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous and parenteral injections, anduse of infusion techniques will preferably be from 0.01 to 200 mg/kg oftotal body weight. The average daily rectal dosage regimen willpreferably be from 0.01 to 200 mg/kg of total body weight. The averagedaily vaginal dosage regimen will preferably be from 0.01 to 200 mg/kgof total body weight. The average daily topical dosage regimen willpreferably be from 0.1 to 200 mg administered between one to four timesdaily. The transdermal concentration will preferably be that required tomaintain a daily dose of from 0.01 to 200 mg/kg. The average dailyinhalation dosage regimen will preferably be from 0.01 to 100 mg/kg oftotal body weight.

Of course the specific initial and continuing dosage regimen for eachpatient will vary according to the nature and severity of the conditionas determined by the attending diagnostician, the activity of thespecific compound employed, the age and general condition of thepatient, time of administration, route of administration, rate ofexcretion of the drug, drug combinations, and the like. The desired modeof treatment and number of doses of a compound of the present inventionor a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester or composition thereofcan be ascertained by those skilled in the art using conventionaltreatment tests.

Preferably, the diseases of said method are haematological tumours,solid tumour and/or metastases thereof.

The compounds of the present invention can be used in particular intherapy and prevention, i.e. prophylaxis, of tumour growth andmetastases, especially in solid tumours of all indications and stageswith or without pre-treatment of the tumour growth.

Methods of testing for a particular pharmacological or pharmaceuticalproperty are well known to persons skilled in the art.

The example testing experiments described herein serve to illustrate thepresent invention and the invention is not limited to the examplesgiven.

Biological Assay: Proliferation Assay

Cultivated tumour cells (MCF7, hormone dependent human mammary carcinomacells, ATCC HTB22; NCI-H460, human non-small cell lung carcinoma cells,ATCC HTB-177; DU 145, hormone-independent human prostate carcinomacells, ATCC HTB-81; HeLa-MaTu, human cervical carcinoma cells, EPO-GmbH,Berlin; HeLa-MaTu-ADR, multidrug-resistant human cervical carcinomacells, EPO-GmbH, Berlin; HeLa human cervical tumour cells, ATCC CCL-2;B16F10 mouse melanoma cells, ATCC CRL-6475) were plated at a density of5000 cells/well (MCF7, DU145, HeLa-MaTu-ADR), 3000 cells/well (NCI-H460,HeLa-MaTu, HeLa), or 1000 cells/well (B16F10) in a 96-well multititerplate in 200 μL of their respective growth medium supplemented 10% fetalcalf serum. After 24 hours, the cells of one plate (zero-point plate)were stained with crystal violet (see below), while the medium of theother plates was replaced by fresh culture medium (200 μl), to which thetest substances were added in various concentrations (0 μM, as well asin the range of 0.01-30 μM; the final concentration of the solventdimethyl sulfoxide was 0.5%). The cells were incubated for 4 days in thepresence of test substances. Cell proliferation was determined bystaining the cells with crystal violet: the cells were fixed by adding20 μl/measuring point of an 11% glutaric aldehyde solution for 15minutes at room temperature. After three washing cycles of the fixedcells with water, the plates were dried at room temperature. The cellswere stained by adding 100 μl/measuring point of a 0.1% crystal violetsolution (pH 3.0). After three washing cycles of the stained cells withwater, the plates were dried at room temperature. The dye was dissolvedby adding 100 μl/measuring point of a 10% acetic acid solution. Theextinction was determined by photometry at a wavelength of 595 nm. Thechange of cell number, in percent, was calculated by normalization ofthe measured values to the extinction values of the zero-point plate(=0%) and the extinction of the untreated (0 μm) cells (=100%). The IC50values were determined by means of a 4 parameter fit using the company'sown software.

Mps-1 Kinase Assay

The human kinase Mps-1 phosphorylates a biotinylated substrate peptide.Detection of the phosphorylated product is achieved by time-resolvedfluorescence resonance energy transfer (TR-FRET) from Europium-labelledanti-phospho-Serine/Threonine antibody as donor to streptavidin labelledwith cross-linked allophycocyanin (SA-XLent) as acceptor. Compounds aretested for their inhibition of the kinase activity.

N-terminally GST-tagged human full length recombinant Mps-1 kinase(purchased from Invitrogen, Karslruhe, Germany, cat. no PV4071) wasused. As substrate for the kinase reaction a biotinylated peptide of theamino-acid sequence PWDPDDADITEILG (C-terminus in amide form, purchasedfrom Biosynthan GmbH, Berlin) was used.

For the assay 50 nL of a 100-fold concentrated solution of the testcompound in DMSO was pipetted into a black low volume 384 wellmicrotiter plate (Greiner Bio-One, Frickenhausen, Germany), 2 μl of asolution of Mps-1 in assay buffer [0.1 mM sodium-ortho-vanadate, 10 mMMgCl₂, 2 mM DTT, 25 mM Hepes pH 7.7, 0.05% BSA, 0.001% Pluronic F-127]were added and the mixture was incubated for 15 min at 22° C. to allowpre-binding of the test compounds to Mps-1 before the start of thekinase reaction. Then the kinase reaction was started by the addition of3 μl of a solution of 16.7 adenosine-tri-phosphate (ATP, 16.7 μM=>finalconc. in the 5 μl assay volume is 10 μM) and peptide substrate (1.67μM=>final conc. in the 5 μl assay volume is 1 μM) in assay buffer andthe resulting mixture was incubated for a reaction time of 60 min at 22°C. The concentration of Mps-1 in the assay was adjusted to the activityof the enzyme lot and was chosen appropriate to have the assay in thelinear range, typical enzyme concentrations were in the range of about 1nM (final conc. in the 5 μl assay volume). The reaction was stopped bythe addition of 3 μl of a solution of HTRF detection reagents (100 mMHepes pH 7.4, 0.1% BSA, 40 mM EDTA, 140 nM Streptavidin-XLent[#61GSTXLB, Fa. Cis Biointernational, Marcoule, France], 1.5 nManti-phospho(Ser/Thr)-Europium-antibody [# AD0180, PerkinElmer LAS,Rodgau-Jügesheim, Germany].

The resulting mixture was incubated 1 h at 22° C. to allow the bindingof the phosphorylated peptide to theanti-phospho(Ser/Thr)-Europium-antibody. Subsequently the amount ofphosphorylated substrate was evaluated by measurement of the resonanceenergy transfer from the Europium-labelled anti-phospho(Ser/Thr)antibody to the Streptavidin-XLent. Therefore, the fluorescenceemissions at 620 nm and 665 nm after excitation at 350 nm was measuredin a Viewlux TR-FRET reader (PerkinElmer LAS, Rodgau-Jügesheim,Germany). The “blank-corrected normalized ratio” (a Viewlux specificreadout, similar to the traditional ratio of the emissions at 665 nm andat 622 nm, in which blank and Eu-donor crosstalk are subtracted from the665 nm signal before the ratio is calculated) was taken as the measurefor the amount of phosphorylated substrate. The data were normalised(enzyme reaction without inhibitor=0% inhibition, all other assaycomponents but no enzyme=100% inhibition). Test compounds were tested onthe same microtiter plate at 10 different concentrations in the range of20 μM to 1 nM (20 μM, 6.7 μM, 2.2 μM, 0.74 μM, 0.25 μM, 82 nM, 27 nM,9.2 nM, 3.1 nM and 1 nM, dilution series prepared before the assay atthe level of the 100 fold conc. stock solutions by serial 1:3 dilutions)in duplicate values for each concentration and IC₅₀ values werecalculated by a 4 parameter fit using an in-house software.

IC₅₀ values for compounds described in the experimental section aregiven in the Table.

TABLE Mps1 Example IC₅₀ [nM] 1-1 52.1 1-2 5.0 1-3 8.6 1-4 64.8Spindle Assembly Checkpoint Assay

The spindle assembly checkpoint assures the proper segregation ofchromosomes during mitosis. Upon entry into mitosis, chromosomes beginto condensate which is accompanied by the phosphorylation of histone H3on serine 10. Dephosphorylation of histone H3 on serine 10 begins inanaphase and ends at early telophase. Accordingly, phosphorylation ofhistone H3 on serine 10 can be utilized as a marker of cells in mitosis.Nocodazole is a microtubule destabilizing substance. Thus, nocodazoleinterferes with microtubule dynamics and mobilises the spindle assemblycheckpoint. The cells arrest in mitosis at G2/M transition and exhibitphosphorylated histone H3 on serine 10. An inhibition of the spindleassembly checkpoint by Mps-1 inhibitors overrides the mitotic blockagein the presence of nocodazole, and the cells complete mitosisprematurely. This alteration is detected by the decrease of cells withphosphorylation of histone H3 on serine 10. This decline is used as amarker to determine the capability of compounds of the present inventionto induce a mitotic breakthrough.

Cultivated cells of the human cervical tumour cell line HeLa (ATCCCCL-2) were plated at a density of 2500 cells/well in a 384-wellmicrotiter plate in 20 μl Dulbeco's Medium (w/o phenol red, w/o sodiumpyruvate, w 1000 mg/ml glucose, w pyridoxine) supplemented with 1% (v/v)glutamine, 1% (v/v) penicillin, 1% (v/v) streptomycin and 10% (v/v)fetal calf serum. After incubation overnight at 37° C., 10 μl/wellnocodazole at a final concentration of 0.1 μg/ml were added to cells.After 24 h incubation, cells were arrested at G2/M phase of the cellcycle progression. Test compounds solubilised in dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO) were added at various concentrations (0 μM, as well as in therange of 0.005 μM-10 μM; the final concentration of the solvent DMSO was0.5% (v/v)). Cells were incubated for 4 h at 37° C. in the presence oftest compounds. Thereafter, cells were fixed in 4% (v/v)paraformaldehyde in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) at 4° C. overnightthen permeabilised in 0.1% (v/v) Triton X™ 100 in PBS at roomtemperature for 20 min and blocked in 0.5% (v/v) bovine serum albumin(BSA) in PBS at room temperature for 15 min. After washing with PBS, 20μl/well antibody solution (anti-phospho-histone H3 clone 3H10, FITC;Upstate, Cat#16-222; 1:200 dilution) was added to cells, which wereincubated for 2 h at room temperature.

Afterwards, cells were washed with PBS and 20 μl/well HOECHST 33342 dyesolution (5 μg/ml) was added to cells and cells were incubated 12 min atroom temperature in the dark. Cells were washed twice with PBS thencovered with PBS and stored at 4° C. until analysis. Images wereacquired with a Perkin Elmer OPERA™ High-Content Analysis reader. Imageswere analyzed with image analysis software MetaXpress™ from Moleculardevices utilizing the Cell Cycle application module. In this assay bothlabels HOECHST 33342 and phosphorylated Histone H3 on serine 10 weremeasured. HOECHST 33342 labels DNA and is used to count cell number. Thestaining of phosphorylated Histone H3 on serine 10 determines the numberof mitotic cells. Inhibition of Mps-1 decreases the number of mitoticcells in the presence of nocodazole indicating an inappropriate mitoticprogression. The raw assay data were further analysed by four parameterlogistic regression analysis to determine the IC₅₀ value for each testedcompound.

It will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that assays for otherMps kinases may be performed in analogy using the appropriate reagents.

Thus the compounds of the present invention effectively inhibit one ormore Mps-1 kinases and are therefore suitable for the treatment orprophylaxis of diseases of uncontrolled cell growth, hyperproliferation,inappropriate cellular immune responses, or inappropriate cellularinflammatory responses, particularly in which the uncontrolled cellgrowth, hyperproliferation, inappropriate cellular immune responses, orinappropriate cellular inflammatory responses is mediated by Mps-1, moreparticularly in which the diseases of uncontrolled cell growth,hyperproliferation, inappropriate cellular immune responses, orinappropriate cellular inflammatory responses are haemotologicaltumours, solid tumours and/or metastases thereof, e.g. leukaemias andmyelodysplastic syndrome, malignant lymphomas, head and neck tumoursincluding brain tumours and brain metastases, tumours of the thoraxincluding non-small cell and small cell lung tumours, gastrointestinaltumours, endocrine tumours, mammary and other gynaecological tumours,urological tumours including renal, bladder and prostate tumours, skintumours, and sarcomas, and/or metastases thereof.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A compound of formula (I):

in which: R¹ represents a *CH₂—Z moiety, * indicating the point of attachment with the rest of the molecule, wherein Z is a hydrogen atom, or a C₁-C₆-alkyl-, —(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl, aryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, heteroaryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, R′(R″)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, H₂N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, —C₁-C₆-alkyl-CN, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl-, a 3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl, aryl- or heteroaryl- group; said C₁-C₆-alkyl-, —(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl, aryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, heteroaryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, R′(R″)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, H₂N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, —C₁-C₆-alkyl-CN, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl-, a 3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl, aryl- or heteroaryl- group, is optionally substituted, identically or differently, with 1, 2, 3, or 4 R⁷ groups; R² represents a

in which * indicates the point of attachment with the rest of the molecule, and in which: R^(6a), R^(6b), R^(6c) and R^(6d) represent, independently from each other, a hydrogen or halogen atom, or a —CN, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, R(R′)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, —C(═O)R, —C(═O)N(H)R, —C(═O)N(R)R′, —C(═O)OR, —N(R)R′, —NO₂, —N(H)C(═O)R, —N(R)C(═O)R′, —N(H)C(═O)N(R)R′, —N(R)C(═O)N(R′)R″, —N(H)C(═O)OR, —N(R)C(═O)OR′, —N(H)S(═O)R′, —N(R)S(═O)R′, —N(H)S(═O)₂R, —N(R)S(═O)₂R′, —N═S(═O)(R)R′, —OR, —O(C═O)R, —O(C═O)N(R)R′, —O(C═O)OR, —S(═O)₂N(H)R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′— group; and R^(6e) represents a cyclopropyl-group being optionally substituted, identically or differently, with 1, 2, 3, or 4 groups selected from: hydrogen, halogen, —OH, —CN, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, —C₁-C₆-alkoxy, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-; R³ represents a C₁-C₆-alkyl-S—, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₂-C₆-alkenyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₄-C₈-cycloalkenyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)-(3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl), —S—(CH₂)_(m)-(4- to 8-membered heterocycloalkenyl), —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group; said C₁-C₆-alkyl-S—, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₂-C₆-alkenyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₄-C₈-cycloalkenyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)-(3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl), —S—(CH₂)_(m)-(4- to 8-membered heterocycloalkenyl), —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group being optionally substituted, identically or differently, with 1, 2, 3, or 4 R⁸ groups R⁴ represents a hydrogen atom; R⁵ represents a hydrogen atom; R⁷ represents a hydrogen or halogen atom, or a —CN, HO—, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-R(R′)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl, HO—C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, 3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl, aryl-, heteroaryl-, —C(═O)R, —C(═O)N(H)R, —C(═O)N(R)R′, —C(═O)OR, —N(R)R′, —NO₂, —N(H)C(═O)R, —N(R)C(═O)R′, —N(H)C(═O)N(R)R′, —N(R)C(═O)N(R′)R″, —N(H)C(═O)OR, —N(R)C(═O)OR′, —N(H)S(═O)R, —N(R)S(═O)R′, —N(H)S(═O)₂R, —N(R)S(═O)₂R′, —N═S(═O)(R)R′, —OR, —O(C═O)R, —O(C═O)OR, —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R, —S(═O)₂N(H)R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group; R⁸ represents a hydrogen or halogen atom, or a —CN, HO—, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-R(R′)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl, HO—C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, 3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl, aryl-, heteroaryl-, —C(═O)R, —C(═O)N(H)R, —C(═O)N(R)R′, —C(═O)OR, —N(R)R′, —NO₂, —N(H)C(═O)R, —N(R)C(═O)R′, —N(H)C(═O)N(R)R′, —N(R)C(═O)N(R′)R″, —N(H)C(═O)OR, —N(R)C(═O)OR′, —N(H)S(═O)R, —N(R)S(═O)R′, —N(H)S(═O)₂R, —N(R)S(═O)₂R′, —N═S(═O)(R)R′, —OR, —O(C═O)R, —O(C═O)OR, —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R, —S(═O)₂N(H)R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group; R, R′ and R″ are, independently from each other, a hydrogen atom or a C₁-C₆-alkyl- group; and m is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6; or a stereoisomer, a tautomer, an N-oxide, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a mixture of same.
 2. The compound according to claim 1, wherein: R¹ represents a *CH₂—Z moiety, * indicating the point of attachment with the rest of the molecule, wherein Z is a hydrogen atom, or a C₁-C₆-alkyl-, —(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl, aryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, heteroaryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, R′(R″)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, H₂N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, —C₁-C₆-alkyl-CN, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl-, a 3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl, aryl- or heteroaryl- group; said C₁-C₆-alkyl-, —(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl, aryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, heteroaryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, R′(R″)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, H₂N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, —C₁-C₆-alkyl-CN, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl-, a 3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl, aryl- or heteroaryl- group, is optionally substituted, identically or differently, with 1, 2, 3, or 4 R⁷ groups; R² represents a

in which * indicates the point of attachment with the rest of the molecule, and in which: R^(6a), R^(6b), R^(6c) and R^(6d) represent, independently from each other, a hydrogen or halogen atom, or a —CN, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, R(R′)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, —C(═O)R, —C(═O)N(H)R, —C(═O)N(R)R′, —C(═O)OR, —N(R)R′, —NO₂, —N(H)C(═O)R, —N(R)C(═O)R′, —N(H)C(═O)N(R)R′, —N(R)C(═O)N(R′)R″, —N(H)C(═O)OR, —N(R)C(═O)OR′, —N(H)S(═O)R′, —N(R)S(═O)R′, —N(H)S(═O)₂R, —N(R)S(═O)₂R′, —N═S(═O)(R)R′, —OR, —O(C═O)R, —O(C═O)N(R)R′, —O(C═O)OR, —S(═O)₂N(H)R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′— group; and R^(6e) represents a cyclopropyl-group; R³ represents a C₁-C₆-alkyl-S—, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₂-C₆-alkenyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₄-C₈-cycloalkenyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)-(3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl), —S—(CH₂)_(m)-(4- to 8-membered heterocycloalkenyl), —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group; said C₁-C₆-alkyl-S—, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₂-C₆-alkenyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₄-C₈-cycloalkenyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)-(3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl), —S—(CH₂)_(m)-(4- to 8-membered heterocycloalkenyl), aryl-S—, heteroaryl-S—, —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group being optionally substituted, identically or differently, with 1, 2, 3, or 4 R⁸ groups R⁴ represents a hydrogen atom; R⁵ represents a hydrogen atom; R⁷ represents a hydrogen or halogen atom, or a —CN, HO—, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-R(R′)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl, HO—C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, 3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl, aryl-, heteroaryl-, —C(═O)R, —C(═O)N(H)R, —C(═O)N(R)R′, —C(═O)OR, —N(R)R′, —NO₂, —N(H)C(═O)R, —N(R)C(═O)R′, —N(H)C(═O)N(R)R′, —N(R)C(═O)N(R′)R″, —N(H)C(═O)OR, —N(R)C(═O)OR′, —N(H)S(═O)R, —N(R)S(═O)R′, —N(H)S(═O)₂R, —N(R)S(═O)₂R′, —N═S(═O)(R)R′, —OR, —O(C═O)R, —O(C═O)OR, —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R, —S(═O)₂N(H)R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group; R⁸ represents a hydrogen or halogen atom, or a —CN, HO—, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-R(R′)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl, HO—C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, 3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl, aryl-, heteroaryl-, —C(═O)R, —C(═O)N(H)R, —C(═O)N(R)R′, —C(═O)OR, —N(R)R′, —NO₂, —N(H)C(═O)R, —N(R)C(═O)R′, —N(H)C(═O)N(R)R′, —N(R)C(═O)N(R′)R″, —N(H)C(═O)OR, —N(R)C(═O)OR′, —N(H)S(═O)R, —N(R)S(═O)R′, —N(H)S(═O)₂R, —N(R)S(═O)₂R′, —N═S(═O)(R)R′, —OR, —O(C═O)R, —O(C═O)OR, —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R, —S(═O)₂N(H)R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group; R, R′ and R″ are, independently from each other, a hydrogen atom or a C₁-C₆-alkyl- group; and m is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6; or a stereoisomer, a tautomer, an N-oxide, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a mixture of same.
 3. The compound according to claim 1, wherein: R¹ represents a *CH₂—Z moiety, * indicating the point of attachment with the rest of the molecule, wherein Z is a hydrogen atom, or a C₁-C₆-alkyl-, —(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl, aryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, heteroaryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, R′(R″)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, H₂N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, —C₁-C₆-alkyl-CN, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl-, a 3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl, aryl- or heteroaryl- group; said C₁-C₆-alkyl-, —(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl, aryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, heteroaryl-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, R′(R″)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, H₂N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, —C₁-C₆-alkyl-CN, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl-, a 3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl, aryl- or heteroaryl- group, is optionally substituted, identically or differently, with 1, 2, 3, or 4 R⁷ groups; R² represents a

in which * indicates the point of attachment with the rest of the molecule, and in which: R^(6a), R^(6b), R^(6c), R^(6d) represent, independently from each other, a hydrogen or a C₁-C₆-alkyl-group; and R^(6e) represents a cyclopropyl-group; R³ represents a C₁-C₆-alkyl-S—, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₂-C₆-alkenyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₄-C₈-cycloalkenyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)-(3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl), —S—(CH₂)_(m)-(4- to 8-membered heterocycloalkenyl), —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group; said C₁-C₆-alkyl-S—, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₂-C₆-alkenyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₄-C₈-cycloalkenyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)—C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl, —S—(CH₂)_(m)-(3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl), —S—(CH₂)_(m)-(4- to 8-membered heterocycloalkenyl), —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group being optionally substituted, identically or differently, with 1, 2, 3, or 4 R⁸ groups R⁴ represents a hydrogen atom; R⁵ represents a hydrogen atom; R⁷ represents a hydrogen or halogen atom, or a —CN, HO—, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-R(R′)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl, HO—C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, 3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl, aryl-, heteroaryl-, —C(═O)R, —C(═O)N(H)R, —C(═O)N(R)R′, —C(═O)OR, —N(R)R′, —NO₂, —N(H)C(═O)R, —N(R)C(═O)R′, —N(H)C(═O)N(R)R′, —N(R)C(═O)N(R′)R″, —N(H)C(═O)OR, —N(R)C(═O)OR′, —N(H)S(═O)R, —N(R)S(═O)R′, —N(H)S(═O)₂R, —N(R)S(═O)₂R′, —N═S(═O)(R)R′, —OR, —O(C═O)R, —O(C═O)OR, —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R, —S(═O)₂N(H)R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group; R⁸ represents a hydrogen or halogen atom, or a —CN, HO—, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-, C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-R(R′)N—C₁-C₆-alkyl-, HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl, HO—C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl-, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, 3- to 7-membered heterocycloalkyl, aryl-, heteroaryl-, —C(═O)R, —C(═O)N(H)R, —C(═O)N(R)R′, —C(═O)OR, —N(R)R′, —NO₂, —N(H)C(═O)R, —N(R)C(═O)R′, —N(H)C(═O)N(R)R′, —N(R)C(═O)N(R′)R″, —N(H)C(═O)OR, —N(R)C(═O)OR′, —N(H)S(═O)R, —N(R)S(═O)R′, —N(H)S(═O)₂R, —N(R)S(═O)₂R′, —N═S(═O)(R)R′, —OR, —O(C═O)R, —O(C═O)OR, —SR, —S(═O)R, —S(═O)₂R, —S(═O)₂N(H)R, —S(═O)₂N(R)R′ group; R, R′ and R″ are, independently from each other, a hydrogen atom or a C₁-C₆-alkyl- group; and m is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6; or a stereoisomer, a tautomer, an N-oxide, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a mixture of same.
 4. The compound according to claim 1, wherein: R¹ represents a *CH₂—Z moiety, * indicating the point of attachment with the rest of the molecule, wherein Z is a C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl- or HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl- group; said C₁-C₆-alkyl-, halo-C₁-C₆-alkyl- or HO—C₁-C₆-alkyl- group is optionally substituted, identically or differently, with 1, 2, 3, or 4 R⁷ groups; R² represents a

in which * indicates the point of attachment with the rest of the molecule, and in which: R^(6a), R^(6b), R^(6c), R^(6d) represent, independently from each other, a hydrogen or a C₁-C₆-alkyl-group; and R^(6e) represents a cyclopropyl-group; R³ represents a C₁-C₆-alkyl-S— or —SR group; said C₁-C₆-alkyl-S— or —SR group being optionally substituted, identically or differently, with 1, 2, 3, or 4 R⁸ groups R⁴ represents a hydrogen atom; R⁵ represents a hydrogen atom; R⁷ represents a hydrogen atom, or a HO— or —OR group; R⁸ represents a hydrogen or halogen atom; R, R′ and R″ are, independently from each other, a hydrogen atom; and m is 0 or 1; or a stereoisomer, a tautomer, an N-oxide, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a mixture of same.
 5. The compound according to claim 1, which is selected from the group consisting of: N-cyclopropyl-4-{8-[(2-hydroxy-2-methylpropyl)amino]-6-(propylsulfanyl)imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl}-2-methylbenzamide, N-cyclopropyl-4-{8-[(2-methylpropyl)amino]-6-(methylsulfanyl)imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl}benzamide, N-cyclopropyl-2-methyl-4-{6-(methylsulfanyl)-8-[(3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)amino]imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl}benzamide, and N-cyclopropyl-4-{8-[(2-hydroxy-2-methylpropyl)amino]-6-(methylsulfanyl)imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-yl}-2-methylbenzamide, or a stereoisomer, a tautomer, an N-oxide, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a mixture of same.
 6. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of formula (I), or a stereoisomer, a tautomer, an N-oxide, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a mixture of same, according to claim 1, and a pharmaceutically acceptable diluent or carrier.
 7. A method for the inhibiting monopolar spindle 1 kinase activity in a patient, comprising administering to the patient in need thereof a compound of formula (I), or a stereoisomer, a tautomer, an N-oxide, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a mixture of same, according to claim
 1. 8. A method of preparing a compound of formula (I) according to claim 1, said method comprising the step of reacting an intermediate compound of formula (6)

in which R¹, R², R⁴ and R⁵ are as defined in claim 1, with a compound of formula (6a): R³—Y  (6a), in which R³ is as defined in claim 1, and Y is —B(OH)₂ or —B(OC₁-C₆-alkyl)₂, thereby giving a compound of formula (I):


9. A method of preparing a compound of formula (I) according to claim 1, said method comprising the step of reacting an intermediate compound of formula (13):

in which R¹, R³, R⁴ and R⁵ are as defined in claim 1, and X is halogen, with a compound of general formula (13a): R²—Y  (13a), in which R² is as defined in claim 1, and Y is —B(OH)₂ or —B(OC₁-C₆-alkyl)₂, thereby giving a compound of formula (I):


10. A method of preparing a compound of formula (I) according to claim 1, said method comprising the step of reacting an intermediate compound of formula (9)

in which R², R³, R⁴ and R⁵ are as defined in claim 1, with a compound of formula (9a): H₂N—R¹  (9a), in which R¹ is as defined in claim 1, thereby giving a compound of formula (I): 